Time Management

Pastel painting - "With Maureen" Plein Air - Savannah 2005

I am so thankful for my mornings. When many are rushing to work I’m drinking my coffee and planning my day doing what I want to do. Retirement has been touted as a wonderful carefree time but I’m slowly learning that it’s also a time when you have so many new choices and demands on your time you have to relearn time management and put your own spin on it.

What I mean is it’s easy to waste time or use your time unwisely when you are retired. It’s easy to get over booked and think you can do things when you are in control of your time schedule instead of having a boss or company set your schedule. I fully admit I haven’t been the best with managing my time. My days seem to take over themselves and I follow right along until the day ends. Then I find myself asking did I do anything at all of importance, what did I accomplish or did I waste the day?

I don’t think new years’ resolutions work just like diets don’t work. It’s the same thing! You pick a day and plan to change your life and then within three days you’re busted. My time management plans seem to all get busted too. However, there are a few management ideals that linger on and help me at least keep some of my life together.

Today is Monday, so that means its office day. Monday is the day that I take a look at all the things in the office basket and take care of it. I continue through the basket until it’s completely empty and then I can feel worry free that I haven’t missed paying a bill or responding to something that has a due date. When I miss my office day my entire week is thrown off balance. This was a life lesson passed on to me by one of the secretaries that worked at Thomaston Mills. She was secretary to George Hightower, Sr. and was greatly admired by all the secretaries in the pool. Her excellent secretarial and people skills didn’t go unnoticed by me working in the order department as a lowly account clerk either. When I asked her how she kept her basket so clean in such a busy office, she said as soon as something hit her desk she only handled it once either taking action or passing it on to the next person that need to take action. I know one of the mistakes I make is just shuffling paper from one basket to the next without taking action. I handle things too much, looking at them and then placing them back in the basket. I tend to let things stack up delaying until the last minute. That’s why I’m thankful for my Monday office days.

In my prayers today I’m praying that God will help me follow Paul’s advice in Ephesians 5 to be careful how I walk, not as unwise men but as wise…understanding what the will of the Lord is. To help me break it down further I’m going to ask Him to help me with my time management today, using it wisely and to His ultimate service correcting my steps when I fail. After all, listening to God IS part of my new years' resolution, right? Now on to office Monday.

The New Computer

Sometime in December I decided to break down and buy a new computer. I've been working from a little laptop ever since Brent and Terri moved back to their house. My laptop no longer allows me to upload photos since the slot I plug the camera photo reader into no longer works. What an experience the new computer has been. A couple of times I had everything working just fine. Then I decided to move the hard drive into its permanent location inside the computer cabinet. Since then I can't seem to plug everything in right, so I'm back without a means to upload new photos. Friday I tried to work with it a bit and just got frustrated and gave up, so I'm back to my faithful laptop just to read emails and journal. At least I can upload photos I have stored but I miss just uploading new photos instantly.

This plug struggle also reminds of the struggle we sometimes have in our spiritual lives. I struggled to get to church this morning. My knee ached and I was near giving in and crawling back in bed when some TV minister said something about Sunday being the day the Lord made for worship with others. He was right, everyday we worship God, but to come together with fellow believers plugs us in and keeps us plugged into areas we perhaps can't do alone. I got dressed in record speed and was only a little late for SS.

Today in church I sat beside a new couple to our church. Welch, I think they said their last name was. The service was so special as we observed the Lord's supper. I'm thankful for being plugged in today and for the joy of being with fellow believers.

Oh Holy God, I praise your name and lift my heart to you this afternoon in thanksgiving for your presence in my life and the life of others. I thank you for your word and for the inspiration we glean from our friends, family and our church leaders. I pray for the special activities that we will be having in our church to bring others to you and for the boldness to be able to share your word when each opportunity arises.

I pray for the comfort of Nancy and Doyle and for Marilyn as they go through the next few days of funeral services and gatherings. I pray for my friends that are carrying heavy burdens that they will find ways to receive your comfort, peace and wisdom to be able to carry on with all the things they have to do daily. I say a special prayer for Nora and Tommy. I pray that Nora will feel your presence with her and you will give her strength to continue to do what you would have her do.

In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior I pray these things, Amen.

Early Morning Horrors!

How could I have forgotten? Where was my mind yesterday? It sure wasn't remembering to go to the grocery store for coffee! No coffee this morning. What's a girl to do. I'm drinking very good tea, but it's not the same. It's a good thing that I still have cat food. If I had ran out of cat food I don't think Cocoapuff would forgive me.

It's cold again but it should warm up nicely. I'll get out and go to the grocery store. It's time too that I get myself out to the studio. My tailbone,hip,leg seems better and I haven't used the walker in weeks.

Thank you God this morning for another beautiful morning. Terri returned to school yesterday for a teacher planning day and today the children will be back. She is such a good teacher, mother and wife and I'm so thankful for having her as my daughter-in-law. I hope I'll be able to keep the children tonight. They are so sweet learning to play together. Of course, poor Cocoapuff gets chased around the house and is learning to go hide when the children are here.

Organization

I jumped from my bed this morning realizing that I hadn't left the water running to keep the pipes from freezing! I'm sure it would have been a sight to see me limprunning down the hall to get to the kitchen and see if I had any water at all to make my morning coffee, that is if anyone was here to see me. Fortunately for me, I had water. We don't have freezing weather much here in Georgia, but when we do, it's freezing. :)

After coffee I went back to the bedroom to make the bed and the basket on the dresser caught my eye. It's a catch-all basket. Being in an organizing ...throwing away mood. I took everything out and made separate stacks depending on what the individual contents were about. Smithsonian, Veranda, Southern Living, Oprah, Health, International Artist, journals, Charles Swindoll's book "Hope" and old lists found their way into individual stacks to be thrown away, stored or back into the basket as current reading or safekeeping. Organizing always makes me think of how much stuff I actually have and how much time I don't have to read everything I want to read. I tend to be a pack rat when it comes to things I think I might need, especially reference works. Funny thing is, when I get into a throwing away mood like I am now, I can throw away tons of stuff and I still have an overwhelming amount of throwing away to do. Sigh.

Organizing reminds me of going to my aunts house after she died and going through the things she saved. She didn't have a lot of expensive things but I marveled at the remnants of her life and the things she held precious stored away in her hope chest. I'm so thankful that I had this experience because now I always think about what I would leave behind should my life here on this earth be over before I had time to throw away, tidy up, or label things that I would want others to hold precious as I did.

Okay, I'll throw away all the Martha Stewart Magazines from years ago. Trying to sell them on ebay didn't work. After all, I'm not THAT organized and I probably never will need to know how to do the things she seems to accomplish.

I will hold precious, however, some of the things my aunt saved as precious. I'll label them and put them away until another rainy day when I can take them out and hold them just to feel her closeness.

Changes

Changes are not easy for me. I thought they were, but the older I get the more I realize that I'm not one to make changes quickly. I admire those that can change as fast as the wind changes as it's been said. Last year I received a new NIV Bible and I've been using it all year. The thing is, I really love my old King James. It's familar and travels well with me just as the sound of an old friend or precious loved one. When I read in a different version I might gain some insight, and for that I am thankful, but when I concentrate on His voice, it's the KJV that gets it for me. Sigh... I'm just an old fogy. Do parrots in Spain speak spanish? Duh...well, see, I do know some hip new words. :)

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Thank you God for your voice.

Happy New Year

Starting out this year with a new look for the blog and a new moto strip that hangs on the right side of the blog..."as for me and my blog, we will serve the Lord."

My spiritual resolution for this year is to be quiet and listen to what God tells me. Sometimes I think my own voice in my head is too loud. I know it has been in years past. I have a very soft speaking voice and many times people calling me on the phone ask to speak to my father. I'm going to use my own voice to remind me that I MUST listen to my heavenly father and do as He would have me do rather than trying to make up my own plan without even asking Him.

Heavenly father, this evening I am tired, but it's a good tired from keeping Carley Ann and Anna Claire last night. This morning making pancakes with Carley Ann's new play mixer was so much fun and I thank you for special times like that with my grandchildren. Thank you for this beautiful day and the wind outside that has blown all the leaves down the hill. Thank you for your mercy and constant love.

I pray today for my mother, brother and his children and their children that they be well and each of them find you to meet their special needs. Thank you for the hatching of Timmy's new chickens this morning. It's another reminder of new life beginnings for a new year.

Thank you for the gift of salvation and pray that if there be any sin in my life it be forgiven.

I praise your holy name and pray all these things in the name of your son, Jesus Christ.Amen

Delight Yourself

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."(Psalm 37:4)

Several times this month this passage has come to my attention. When that happens I usually stop and think what is God trying to tell me.

It's the same feeling I get when I run into old friends over and over again in a short span of time when I haven't seen them in ages. I always think there has to be a reason either for them or for me to act upon.

Once a friend of mine was in a minor accident but ended up in the hospital. I hate visiting in hospitals for a number of reasons, but this time I wanted to go see my friend and found the heart nudge one I had to act on. I wanted another baby and she had experience with being a foster mother so I thought maybe she could tell me about that as a possible solution for my baby longings. I was not overly concerned that she was sick. I went to visit her for my own selfish reasons. She was so happy to see me and we really did have a great visit catching up on lots of things. The next day she died from a blood clot that went to her head. I was so thankful to God that He put that nudge in my heart to go see her. From that day forward I've always listened to my heart nudges.

Spiritual nudges are about the same thing, or maybe what I've called heart nudges are really spiritual...messages from God of a sort. I know God talks to us by using people, places, events, books and yes, even rocks. Thank goodness we don't have to wait around for the burning bush experience. Anyway, my mind is bouncing around this passage about delighting yourself again this morning.

Yesterday I tried to pass it on to a friend but it's still sticking with me this morning. In Bill Barber's message last night he quoted the same passage and challenged us by saying that many times we only hear the part about Him giving us the desires of our hearts, not the part about delighting ourselves in the Lord.

I'm thinking this morning that it's one of those if/then pacts with a twist. While we are doing the IF part, God is changing the THEN part. Oh, I know this is true from personal experience. When I was young I thought more about getting material things. Now that I'm older, I'm learning that while all those material things are nice, they aren't what is the most important. Maybe what God is trying to cement in my heart is that if I delight myself in Him, the desires of my heart will be His will. What a twist to find that what we think is the desire of our heart is not since the desires of our heart changes as God works in our lives.

Murphy's Law of the new dress

This morning I dressed for church and off I went through the rain that we are finally getting! Wouldn't you know it, Murphy's law of the new dress caught up with me as one of my SS classmates handed me a pair of sissors to help me cut the tag off that was dangling under my arm. Oh horrors!

Someone sent me this smile, so I'm passing it on.

A man in Chicago calls his son in New York the day before Christmas and says, “I
hate to ruin Christmas this year, but I have to tell you that your mother and I
are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough.”"Pop, what are you talking
about?” the son screams. “We can’t stand the sight of each other any longer,”
the father says. “We’re sick of each other, and I’m sick of talking about this,
so you call your sister in Atlanta and tell her.”Frantic, the son calls his
sister, who explodes on the phone. “They are NOT getting divorced,” she shouts,
“I’ll take care of this.”


She calls Chicago immediately, and screams at her father, “You are NOT getting
divorced. Don’t do a single thing until I get there. I’m calling my brother back
and we’ll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don’t do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?”
and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. “Okay,” he says, “they’re
coming for Christmas and paying their own way.”

Happy New Year everyone.... I thought Bill Barber's message this morning was
particularly good. Thinking about 2008 and all the resolutions I usually make
and think about Bill's message made me think more about what my spiritual
resolutions might need to be. Bill's right, we are on a journey and each year
that passes adds to our experience. God does his part and the rest is up to us.
We can't just sit back and expect a free ride. I'm thinking this is what having
a relationship with Jesus is ... it's the give and take and certainly not meant
to be all one sided.

Have a Happy New Year!

After Christmas

The house is quiet. I woke extra early this morning for some reason. After drinking cups of coffee, I started cleaning. What on earth possessed me to do that I'll never know. Actually, it was fun. Each thing I picked up and put away gave me the opportunity to thank God for the moments of my life.

This Chistmas with Carley Ann being 3 and Anna Claire being 18 months really was fun. It's so good to watch the delight in their eyes over the new toys and watch them as they learn how to work each one. The big present they got was a pink Jeep they can ride around in the yard. It was a far cry from the pedal car I remember my brother getting when he was about their age... or was it me? I can't remember who got it, just that we had as much fun with it as Anna Claire and Carley Ann did driving around in the back yard of their house.

The special event, however, came Christmas night when they all came over to my house for Christmas dinner. My mother came to eat with us so that made four adults and two children, the perfect number to sit around the breakfast room table. I wish I had a picture to show you how beautiful the table looked and wish I had a video to show you what happened when we read the passage from Luke 2 about the birth of Jesus. After we said the blessing and everyone begin to pass food around and help the girls with their plates, I read Luke 2. Carley amazed me with how much she knew about the birth of Jesus as she interruped time and time again to add her understanding of what the verses were saying. I almost had to stop several times and just let her tell it. My heart exploded with pride and also thankgiving for I know she did not learn this on her own but have been guided by her parents.

Being a grandmother is such a joy and I'm so thankful for my family.

Lord, thank you so much for giving us the most wonderful gift of your Son. You are awesome in your wisdom and love for all of us. Thank you for knowing each of us personally and giving us all what we need each day and more. Thank you for each breath we take, each day we live, each talent you fill us with, each person you bring into our lives, the food on our table, the roof over our heads and the rain as of late.

Lord, you know each desire of our hearts. I pray today for your continued presence in the lives of my family and also for those who are in our hearts. I pray for Tom, Sandra, Norman, and all of Tom's relatives. Thank you for working in their lives in small and big ways.

By faith we all walk in the knowledge that you are Lord and have the wisdom to work out all our daily concerns. I pray for our nation and for this world that you will work in the lives of those that are responsible for making decisions in all areas that effect us. Thank you again for all your blessings for it is in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, I pray these things.

Find us Faithful

FIND US FAITHFUL

Steve Green

We’re pilgrims on the journey

Of the narrow road

And those who’ve gone before us line the way

Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary

Their lives a stirring testament to God’s sustaining grace



Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses

Let us run the race not only for the prize

But as those who’ve gone before us

Let us leave to those behind us

The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives



After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone

And our children sift through all we’ve left behind

May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover

Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find



CHORUS:

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

May the fire of our devotion light their way

May the footprints that we leave

Lead them to believe

And the lives we live inspire them to obey



Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

The "W" In Christmas

Christmas Love (The "W" In Christmas)

by Candy Chand

Each December I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations: extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending.

Yet I still found myself exhausted, unable to fully appreciate the precious family moments, and, of course, the true meaning of Christmas.

My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six-year-old. For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school's Winter Pageant. I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the production.

Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher who assured me there would be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then. Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise. So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early and found a seat in the cafeteria. Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats.

As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then each group, one by one, rose to perform their song.

Because the public school system had stopped referring to the holiday as "Christmas" I didn't expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment: songs about reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes, and good cheer. So when my son's class rose to sing "Christmas Love" I was slightly taken aback by its bold title.

Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, who were adorned in fuzzy mittens and red sweaters, with bright stocking caps on their heads. Those in the front row, center stage, held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song. As the class would sing "C is for Christmas" a child would hold up the letter "C." Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love."

The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly we noticed her: a small, quiet girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down. She was unaware that reversed, her letter "M" appeared as a "W."

The audience of first- through sixth-graders snickered at this little one's mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, and she stood tall, proudly holding her "W." Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together.

A hush came over the audience, and eyes began to widen. In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos there was a purpose for our festivities. When the last letter was held high, the message read clear: "CHRISTWAS LOVE"
CHRIST WAS LOVE

And I believe He still is.

Prayer request

Sisters,

Every time I think I'm headed in the right direction to be well and be able to exercise so I can take some of this weight off, I have another problem to crop up. I've told y'all about my anemia and I have a new doctor (hematologist)in Macon, referred to me by Dr. Warnock and Bramlett, that is doing wonders with that by having me take a new medication called Repliva. For the last several years I've take intravenous iron, but couldn't keep the iron in my system as they expected it to. If you have ever had a problem with anemia, I suggest you talk with your doctor about Repliva. It's working for me. My hemoglobin count is up to 9 from 6 and normal is 12. hemoglobin count is a good indication of how much iron you have for immediate use as I understand it. Correct me if this is wrong. My ferritin level is at 11.7 from 3.3 and he thinks I'll reach 80 in three months. He wants me to keep my ferritin level between 80 and 250 which is your iron reserves that your body stores, again as I understand it. Dr. Denton and Dr. Barlow say that I probably will need to take iron medication for the rest of my life because my genes indicate I have the alpha thalssemia trait which is one of the reasons I have this iron problem. The other is because diverticoulos and blood loss from an erosion in my hiatal hernia.

Sigh.

I've mentioned that I was having some problems with the knee that I broke three years ago and having tailbone, hip, knee and calf muscle problems that have kept me limping around and not being able to sit at the computer or even stand for longer than 20 minutes. I've been going to PT under recommendations from Dr. Hopkins in Griffin who gave me shot of cortisone in my knee on the left side about 7 weeks ago. I haven't seen the relief expected. Yesterday, after Brent insisted, I went to Dr. Doniti here in Thomaston and he did further evaluation and says that my knee as developed severe arthritis which is a pretty normal thing for a kneecap injury to have. With reservations, he gave me another shot of cortisone in my knee except from the right side and told me that my next option would be knee replacement. Needless to say I'm upset. Betty Franklin says the problem with my teeth is probably from gritting them. I agree. (giggle)

Please pray with me that this second cortisone shot will help enough to keep me going without having to have knee replacement. I am scared to death over that possibility. I seem to be doing better this morning... better than the first shot, and can been my knee without much pain. Dr. Doniti says that he feels the pain in my tailbone, hip and of course my calf is all coming from the gait I have developed trying to keep my knee from hurting. Ever since I broke my patella I have had a limp that comes and goes, gets better, then gets worse.

Marilyn McGaha and I laughed a couple of years ago about me walking like an old lady, and I thought going to the wellness center would be good for me with the heated pool, but the pool aggravated my other problem with psoriasis, so coupled with that and the exercise machines really hurting my knee, I quit.

Anyway, I do covet your prayers. The days I had to use the walker to get around, Lesley Stevenson and Anna Mary Ellerbee have been kind enough to take me to doctors and other places I needed to go. Some days I’m do really well without the walker, then other days I just can’t trust my knee, so I prop on the walker, a shopping cart, or on Brent and Terri.

I’ve tried really hard not to say much about all this because I don’t want to whine. I’d rather just laugh it off when I can, but it’s gone passed laughing and I don’t like it, especially when it keeps me from keeping the Carley Ann and Anna Claire, and my garden just completely grew up with weeds this year. Keeping a good attitude is what I know God wants us to have, so I’ve tried really hard to do that.

This scripture is special to me, if you have time, read it and the sermon at this link:

http://www.horizonsnet.org/sermons/eph12.html

Much as been made lately on the news programs about the power of prayer. I’m glad the world is finding out what we as Christians have already been told.

"For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21)"

More:

Positive attitude -- http://www.horizonsnet.org/sermons/phil22.html

I can do all things -- http://www.horizonsnet.org/sermons/phil23.html

Well, all of them are good at this site. Enjoy and thanks so very much, Phyllis

--
Phyllis Franklin
http://www.phyllisfranklin.com

November Colors

The colors outside are finally showing in some spots around my neighborhood and I'm anxious to get out and paint but don't think thats going to happen anytime soon. I'm making good progress with my knee and all the other stuff going on.

Test results for anemia are encouraging as this new med pack is doing it's job and I finished up yesterday with a very painful physical therapy session for my knee that has bursitis. Once this bursitis goes away, I hope I NEVER have another attack. It's the same knee that had the broken patella a couple of years ago. I'm going to do everything possible to keep my knee healthy for sure. At least now I can walk a bit, sit a bit and get some things done like the ton of clothes piled up in my laundry room. Today I'm going to walk to the mailbox and see how that goes. If that works, I'm going to get myself out to the studio tomorrow. I also hope that I'll be able to sit at the computer and share some art things I've been reading.

I miss keeping the girls more than I thought I would. Strange how life makes it's twists and turns and all the things you though you knew about yourself change. Some pleasent and some not so.

Hope you all are going well.

REhab

Well, it's rehab for me. I'm falling apart. I haven't been able to post because I can't sit at the computer. My iron level has fallen back down to 6 which is not horrible, but since I know it will only get worse, I'm going to a new hemotologist in Macon, Dr. Denton. More tests, are to come in so I sit and wait on that. But, that's not why I can't sit at the computer. I fell on the same knee I had the broken patella two years ago and have been having fits with it. I thought I was going to be okay, but as the days wore on, I decided to get some help. I went to a bone surgeon in Griffin and the xrays show that my bones look good, so he thinks it's just bursitis. ???? He gave me a shot of corazone last Friday, but the knee is still not good and I can't walk normal. For a couple of days I used a walker and then decided that I might want to try to walk it out. I'm set up to go to rehab and see if they can work out the stiffness and give me some exercises. Needless to say, I'm not painting.

Hope everyone is enjoying the rain we have been having this week. Hopefully I'll be better in a few days and can get back to painting and posting. I hope this time for me is a time for healing. :) Ecclesiastes 3