Morning all. Term 2 begins tomorrow, ready or not. The room is ready, but I am not sure that my plans are ready. I had friends over for dinner and I’m tired.
Thanks, Chas. I trust that you can enlarge it enough to read. I will be welcoming those sweet boys to school in the morning. Though one of them has been putting his pencil in his nose.
I have never heard of a pencil in the nose before. I once knew a girl who would put her pencil in her mouth (eraser side up) while she was thinking of what to write net.
My grandfather taught me how to balance my pencil on my upper lip and, using only facial muscles to drop into the mouth, turn it around so it was pointed the other direction, and return it to the upper lip. There is great wisdom in old people.
Beautiful day here. I dressed for cool but there was a lovely warm wind blowing. Almost done with chores when a light rain started. And I got a nice breakfast from the apple trees. Honey crisp and gravenstein.
I love pencils, I’ve rediscovered them in recent years and use them quite a bit now. I also love gel pens. And Sharpies.
The vet called yesterday and Annie’s bloodwork came back good. But she still seems unpersuaded that her eating slowdown is due to that bad tooth. Either way, I will have to schedule a dental appt for her to get that tooth out. I asked the vet how much that is going to cost. “Less than a million dollars,” she said.
Along with pencils, gel pens and Sharpies, I love honey crisp apples.
I’m wearing a sweatshirt this morning. Our days are warm (though cooling down again later this week), but the nights are chilly.
I have to watch (via live stream) a harbor commission meeting at 9 a.m. and then do a story on how officials managed to move a large (about 100 people) homeless encampment farther south by a few blocks in our community — it was blocking the sidewalk to the point where local school kids had to walk in the street when they went to school in the morning. I had a couple people contact me yesterday, including the local librarian in that area, saying they were stunned to see the area so suddenly cleared and cleaned up, they wondered what happened to make that happen — and where all those people went.
After making a few calls/texts, I found out that city and police officials moved them a couple weeks ago but said only those willing to accept social service outreach help could remain in the newly designated area. That got rid of about half of them. So now there are about 50 left on smaller side (dirt) streets around a car dismantling yard (owners of that biz are none too pleased, though).
I’m glad to see Mumsee and Donna showing up. It was getting lonesome around here.
And FoxNews is all about impeaching Trump and Ukraine.
I think fox should have re-runs of Hee Haw instead. It makes more sense and is much more important than Trump impeachment.
And the end result is the same.
Eighteen is a zombie today. I don’t know what did it but she slept for the five hour drive home and then all evening, took her meds, and slept all night. Didn’t answer when I asked about her trip. Asked for morning meds, I told her those are now “as needed” and she went back to bed. Hopefully, she will come back to some state of alertness. Though I must say, this is easier on us than being talked at all day and assaulted.
Good morning. My brother took me to the community garden late yesterday so I could get more flower photos. I was surprised to find so much blooming there. Someone has been watering there. Our yard is browner and browner.
I am curious to find out how other churches handle prayer both in the service and if there is another designated time for prayer? I know it varies between large and small congregations. Do you have silent times of prayer and other opportunities for groups to pray aloud?
We have a rather lengthy corporate prayer time (for congregational needs, led by an elder) during our service but there also is a small group prayer time before every service in an adjacent room and prayer groups for women.
I read an interesting point the other day (not new to me, but a good reminder) about how the Apostle Paul never/rarely prayed for circumstances to be changed. Yet our prayers tend to be heavily slanted in that direction at times (I am guilty). It’s good to pray for everything, including for changed circumstances to God’s glory (for physical healing, jobs, finances, etc.). But are there spiritual needs we should be praying for more often and as more of a main focus; prayers for salvation of unsaved neighbors and friends and co-workers, prayer for spiritual growth for ourselves and others, prayer for a deeper spiritual understanding and growth (not in numbers so much but in spiritual depth and commitment) within our churches (our own and worldwide)
I got Jo’s newsletter but will have to read it later. My phone is on slow data and it was taking too long to get it when I tried. I look forward to reading it.
Our shrinking church, Pelican Bay Evangelical Free Church of Crescent City, CA has a prayer time during the service and then a prayer time 15 minutes or so after the service.
Happy anniversary Michelle.
We have a corporate prayer time for special requests.
Elvera had a good lunch. Makes me happy to see that.
She also finished off the cookie I gave her for dissert.
Different things make different people happy. You take it where you find it.
Don’t you Mumsee?
Since our last pastor has now left our small church has reverted to allowing anyone in the congregation to pray aloud right after the offering. There are also prayer cards that can be filled out and people at the altar to pray for you after the service. We are in a search for a new pastor, so things may change again. The Complete Book of Common Prayer by EM Bounds is an excellent book on prayer.
My niece had a pencil in her mouth with the point towards her throat. Her brother accidently bumped her and it stuck in the back of her throat. It was quite a close call to doing some major damage or even death according to the doctor. Dentists warn against biting on them as it can damage your jaws.
Especially verse fifteen stands out to me. He was praying for their relationship with God. Not for relief from the things of this world, but that in all things, He would be glorified. Of course, He offered relief in the healings and the filling of the widow’s oil in the OT, etc, but the main focus is the spiritual side. Living in this world, with all its stuff, governments, crime, affliction, wealth, etc. but living for His glory. A good rule of thumb for prayer, I believe.
My husband’s parents made it into the 60s (63 years, I think), and his in-laws made it somewhere around there, but in my family we have yet to see 40 (next summer, Lord willing, we’ll have a 40). No divorce (except that my maternal grandfather was married before he married my grandmother), but my parents made it to 31, my second brother to 32, and my sister to 17 before losing the spouse to death. One other brother has now reached 36–since he married at about 21 and as far as I know they are both decently healthy, he has the best chance of any of us to make it to the high numbers. One other brother married at 21 but has already lost his first wife. The wife of the brother who married at 27 has been plagued with health issues in recent years, my sister who married about the same age has lost her husband already, and the rest of us married/remarried in our 40s or 50s or, in one case, not yet and the bachelor will be 50 on Chas’s next birthday. So, basically two out of eight of us (including my parents) have made it past 35 years, and they are the only ones of us with any realistic chance of doing so. “Growing old together” is the sentimental dream, but in my family it seems you can enter middle age together or you can enter old age together, but not both, or at least not with the same spouse.
Those of you with long marriages, don’t take them for granted!
Speaking of prayer….our little town has started a community prayer meeting every Thursday night. It is held at the Baptist church, but folks from all the churches attend. I work every Thursday night, so have not been able to go. Miguel and Trey go each week and are blessed by the corporate prayer.
Demo day (of our old bathtub area) went well, except that we found an old outlet box with live wires in it behind the tub!! Always surprises in old homes. So, now husband is up a ladder hoping that we can just disconnect the wires at the overhead light. That will be the easiest fix.
Our church has a larger prayer meeting once a month on Sunday evening, plus prayer teams that come to the front at the end of each service for those who want prayer. There are also a few other meetings during the week as well.
Forgot to add, we dedicate an occasional adult SS class to breaking up into small groups for prayer. There’s usually a topic or theme (families, youth, nations, etc.). It used to be monthly but is less often now.
Looks like our electricity will be turned off tomorrow at 6 am through Thursday at 5 pm. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the terrible fires two years ago. Fortunately, I have plenty to read. People are freaking out. 😦
Thanks to all who answered about church prayer. We are still trying to work it all out at my church. I am really liking being a part of the small prayer team that covers the later service with prayer as the service is going on. We can utilize scripture so preparing to do that seems similar to being in a Sunday school class with an assignment. We do need a few more to join with us because when you have a small group and someone is out, it can be difficult to pray for over an hour, but the Holy Spirit has been good to bring things to mind to pray over. The time goes by quickly. It is a bit of concern that we are told on Wed. evenings, after dinner, to pray silently around our tables for the sick. I know some people are uncomfortable praying aloud. Our former pastor made it clear that it was not expected that everyone would choose to do so. It was nice the way he handled that.
I like that idea, I think it was Rkessler who shared, about all the community churches having a joint prayer time. In our county we could pray about the water problems. I saw another headline today about people getting brown water from their taps! We also are having really bad crime in Atlanta these days in certain areas. Children keep being hit by stray bullets from crossfire between gangs. It’s very sad. And there is so much more that church prayer warriors in a community could pray over.
I went down to the wood room to look at the underside of the bathroom floor – looks like the tub was originally on another wall – so that might explain the plug being where it is. Husband has figured out a way to bypass it and cut the power to it, but we need to buy a few more supplies.
Basically, the electric company, which is in bankruptcy, has decided that since the lawyers and insurance companies convinced the legislature that P, G & E was responsible for the fires that burned down so many houses in the last two years, they would simply turn off the power when there is a potential weather-related fire threat.
The citizens are being held hostage and fear-mongering is being used as a political ploy.
We went out to dinner and saw mobbed gas stations, packed grocery stores and everyone is talking about what if?
We have received, between the two of us, 4-6 emails, 3 telephone calls, warning us the power might be turned off tonight.
Check the map and put in your address.
Naturally, the website is flooded.
Schools have been cancelled and on and on.
We’ll still have water and gas, no matter what, but the worry about electricity has put everyone on edge.
Southern California is getting it too, from General Electric — later this week, they’re saying. Don’t think my coastal area will be affected though, but possibly mt / hillside areas as close as Hollywood and Santa Monica. Orange County as well.
Wandering Views 
Morning all. Term 2 begins tomorrow, ready or not. The room is ready, but I am not sure that my plans are ready. I had friends over for dinner and I’m tired.
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Good evening JO. Thanks for the newsletter. I read part of it. Will go back later.
Good morning everyone else.
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Thanks, Chas. I trust that you can enlarge it enough to read. I will be welcoming those sweet boys to school in the morning. Though one of them has been putting his pencil in his nose.
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As long as it’s eraser side up, he should be fine…. 🙂
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I have never heard of a pencil in the nose before. I once knew a girl who would put her pencil in her mouth (eraser side up) while she was thinking of what to write net.
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My grandfather taught me how to balance my pencil on my upper lip and, using only facial muscles to drop into the mouth, turn it around so it was pointed the other direction, and return it to the upper lip. There is great wisdom in old people.
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That’s a unique skill, mumsee
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Beautiful day here. I dressed for cool but there was a lovely warm wind blowing. Almost done with chores when a light rain started. And I got a nice breakfast from the apple trees. Honey crisp and gravenstein.
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I love pencils, I’ve rediscovered them in recent years and use them quite a bit now. I also love gel pens. And Sharpies.
The vet called yesterday and Annie’s bloodwork came back good. But she still seems unpersuaded that her eating slowdown is due to that bad tooth. Either way, I will have to schedule a dental appt for her to get that tooth out. I asked the vet how much that is going to cost. “Less than a million dollars,” she said.
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Along with pencils, gel pens and Sharpies, I love honey crisp apples.
I’m wearing a sweatshirt this morning. Our days are warm (though cooling down again later this week), but the nights are chilly.
I have to watch (via live stream) a harbor commission meeting at 9 a.m. and then do a story on how officials managed to move a large (about 100 people) homeless encampment farther south by a few blocks in our community — it was blocking the sidewalk to the point where local school kids had to walk in the street when they went to school in the morning. I had a couple people contact me yesterday, including the local librarian in that area, saying they were stunned to see the area so suddenly cleared and cleaned up, they wondered what happened to make that happen — and where all those people went.
After making a few calls/texts, I found out that city and police officials moved them a couple weeks ago but said only those willing to accept social service outreach help could remain in the newly designated area. That got rid of about half of them. So now there are about 50 left on smaller side (dirt) streets around a car dismantling yard (owners of that biz are none too pleased, though).
LikeLike
I’m glad to see Mumsee and Donna showing up. It was getting lonesome around here.
And FoxNews is all about impeaching Trump and Ukraine.
I think fox should have re-runs of Hee Haw instead. It makes more sense and is much more important than Trump impeachment.
And the end result is the same.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Eighteen is a zombie today. I don’t know what did it but she slept for the five hour drive home and then all evening, took her meds, and slept all night. Didn’t answer when I asked about her trip. Asked for morning meds, I told her those are now “as needed” and she went back to bed. Hopefully, she will come back to some state of alertness. Though I must say, this is easier on us than being talked at all day and assaulted.
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Do you suppose Kizzie reads us, though she does not comment?
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Phos and rkessler, of course, are busy doing the medical thing. A good thing.
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Good morning. My brother took me to the community garden late yesterday so I could get more flower photos. I was surprised to find so much blooming there. Someone has been watering there. Our yard is browner and browner.
I am curious to find out how other churches handle prayer both in the service and if there is another designated time for prayer? I know it varies between large and small congregations. Do you have silent times of prayer and other opportunities for groups to pray aloud?
LikeLiked by 1 person
We have a rather lengthy corporate prayer time (for congregational needs, led by an elder) during our service but there also is a small group prayer time before every service in an adjacent room and prayer groups for women.
I read an interesting point the other day (not new to me, but a good reminder) about how the Apostle Paul never/rarely prayed for circumstances to be changed. Yet our prayers tend to be heavily slanted in that direction at times (I am guilty). It’s good to pray for everything, including for changed circumstances to God’s glory (for physical healing, jobs, finances, etc.). But are there spiritual needs we should be praying for more often and as more of a main focus; prayers for salvation of unsaved neighbors and friends and co-workers, prayer for spiritual growth for ourselves and others, prayer for a deeper spiritual understanding and growth (not in numbers so much but in spiritual depth and commitment) within our churches (our own and worldwide)
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I got Jo’s newsletter but will have to read it later. My phone is on slow data and it was taking too long to get it when I tried. I look forward to reading it.
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Beautiful header! It would be nice to sit on a swing for awhile and look out on that view.
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Today is our 42nd wedding anniversary. I’ve now been married for 2/3 of my life!
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Good job, Michelle! Happy day!
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Prayer: John 17
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Our shrinking church, Pelican Bay Evangelical Free Church of Crescent City, CA has a prayer time during the service and then a prayer time 15 minutes or so after the service.
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Day 2, Round 2 of Northern California held hostage by P, G & E.
“We really mean it this time.”
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Happy anniversary Michelle.
We have a corporate prayer time for special requests.
Elvera had a good lunch. Makes me happy to see that.
She also finished off the cookie I gave her for dissert.
Different things make different people happy. You take it where you find it.
Don’t you Mumsee?
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Since our last pastor has now left our small church has reverted to allowing anyone in the congregation to pray aloud right after the offering. There are also prayer cards that can be filled out and people at the altar to pray for you after the service. We are in a search for a new pastor, so things may change again. The Complete Book of Common Prayer by EM Bounds is an excellent book on prayer.
My niece had a pencil in her mouth with the point towards her throat. Her brother accidently bumped her and it stuck in the back of her throat. It was quite a close call to doing some major damage or even death according to the doctor. Dentists warn against biting on them as it can damage your jaws.
I hope Kizzie can be back soon.
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Happy anniversary, Michelle!
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Especially verse fifteen stands out to me. He was praying for their relationship with God. Not for relief from the things of this world, but that in all things, He would be glorified. Of course, He offered relief in the healings and the filling of the widow’s oil in the OT, etc, but the main focus is the spiritual side. Living in this world, with all its stuff, governments, crime, affliction, wealth, etc. but living for His glory. A good rule of thumb for prayer, I believe.
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Nice story about the boys, Jo.
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Happy Anniversary, Michelle, and congratulations!
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Happy anniversary, Michelle!
My husband’s parents made it into the 60s (63 years, I think), and his in-laws made it somewhere around there, but in my family we have yet to see 40 (next summer, Lord willing, we’ll have a 40). No divorce (except that my maternal grandfather was married before he married my grandmother), but my parents made it to 31, my second brother to 32, and my sister to 17 before losing the spouse to death. One other brother has now reached 36–since he married at about 21 and as far as I know they are both decently healthy, he has the best chance of any of us to make it to the high numbers. One other brother married at 21 but has already lost his first wife. The wife of the brother who married at 27 has been plagued with health issues in recent years, my sister who married about the same age has lost her husband already, and the rest of us married/remarried in our 40s or 50s or, in one case, not yet and the bachelor will be 50 on Chas’s next birthday. So, basically two out of eight of us (including my parents) have made it past 35 years, and they are the only ones of us with any realistic chance of doing so. “Growing old together” is the sentimental dream, but in my family it seems you can enter middle age together or you can enter old age together, but not both, or at least not with the same spouse.
Those of you with long marriages, don’t take them for granted!
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We have 82+ years. My job now is to care for her.
But that isn’t what makes me feel old.
What makes me feel old is that my son turns 61 this Sunday.
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We have 62 years.
But you knew that.
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My brother in law is getting divorced after about thirty years marriage. Sad to see. Between her alcoholism and depression, he is done.
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No record-setting marriages in our immediate families lately, but Mrs B’s oldest brother and SIL will hit 50 next year, hooray!
I hope we make it to 50, but we didn’t meet until well into our 30s, so we’ll have to practice healthy living!
All our other siblings have been divorced. All now seem to be in lasting re-marriages, but the longest is at only 22 years.
Our parents’ marriages ended in death after 32 and 42 years.
Three of our grandparents’ four marriages ended in divorce. The fourth lasted 50-some years.
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Hello. Popping in during school. I had my practical written midterm this morning and waiting for the hands on this afternoon. Very busy days here.
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Kizzie posted on Facebook that her computer is down, but reading on her phone.
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Happy anniversary, Michelle!
Our 9th anniversary is later in the week.
I was married 20 years the first time
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Speaking of prayer….our little town has started a community prayer meeting every Thursday night. It is held at the Baptist church, but folks from all the churches attend. I work every Thursday night, so have not been able to go. Miguel and Trey go each week and are blessed by the corporate prayer.
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Demo day (of our old bathtub area) went well, except that we found an old outlet box with live wires in it behind the tub!! Always surprises in old homes. So, now husband is up a ladder hoping that we can just disconnect the wires at the overhead light. That will be the easiest fix.
Our church has a larger prayer meeting once a month on Sunday evening, plus prayer teams that come to the front at the end of each service for those who want prayer. There are also a few other meetings during the week as well.
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Horrendous, 4-hour port meeting. I’m trying to clear my head before diving in to write 2 fairly long and (in one case) complex story.
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Forgot to add, we dedicate an occasional adult SS class to breaking up into small groups for prayer. There’s usually a topic or theme (families, youth, nations, etc.). It used to be monthly but is less often now.
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The full meeting means 2 other stories I was going to write today have to be put on hold. Busy week.
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Thanks for all your kind remarks. As my husband said this morning in his “State of the Marriage Address,”
“The state of the marriage is good.”
🙂
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Jo–Is the little boy Seth one of the quints?
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Happy anniversary, Michelle and Mr.
Well, the easy fix won’t do it. Looks like the power runs to the light through that old outlet. Sigh.
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Yes, he is. He took so long to come home and then had lots of health issues. He still gets very tired. How I love that boy.
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Kare, that sounds like really horrid electrical design. Hopefully it isn’t too complicated.
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Maybe somebody had a jacuzzi tub there and needed electricity.
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Happy Anniversary to M & R Ule! (This tablet wanted to make that last name Rule.)
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Looks like our electricity will be turned off tomorrow at 6 am through Thursday at 5 pm. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the terrible fires two years ago. Fortunately, I have plenty to read. People are freaking out. 😦
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I think I’ll go make ice.
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Any story that involves mentioning NOx emissions and CEQA and AQMD makes for a bad day.
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Thanks to all who answered about church prayer. We are still trying to work it all out at my church. I am really liking being a part of the small prayer team that covers the later service with prayer as the service is going on. We can utilize scripture so preparing to do that seems similar to being in a Sunday school class with an assignment. We do need a few more to join with us because when you have a small group and someone is out, it can be difficult to pray for over an hour, but the Holy Spirit has been good to bring things to mind to pray over. The time goes by quickly. It is a bit of concern that we are told on Wed. evenings, after dinner, to pray silently around our tables for the sick. I know some people are uncomfortable praying aloud. Our former pastor made it clear that it was not expected that everyone would choose to do so. It was nice the way he handled that.
I like that idea, I think it was Rkessler who shared, about all the community churches having a joint prayer time. In our county we could pray about the water problems. I saw another headline today about people getting brown water from their taps! We also are having really bad crime in Atlanta these days in certain areas. Children keep being hit by stray bullets from crossfire between gangs. It’s very sad. And there is so much more that church prayer warriors in a community could pray over.
LikeLiked by 1 person
In my early years as a Christian, praying aloud was very difficult for me.
My problem was, I was thinking of what PEOPLE would think.
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I went down to the wood room to look at the underside of the bathroom floor – looks like the tub was originally on another wall – so that might explain the plug being where it is. Husband has figured out a way to bypass it and cut the power to it, but we need to buy a few more supplies.
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and here we are….
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Where, Mumsee?
Oh. In 57 land. Thank you.
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Happy Anniversary, Michelle and Submarine man.
Is this a kind of “Ule tidings”?
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Stop. Just stop.
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Michelle, did I miss a background story? Why is your electricity going to be off for a day and a half?!
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Fire dangers
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It’s complicated, Kevin.
Basically, the electric company, which is in bankruptcy, has decided that since the lawyers and insurance companies convinced the legislature that P, G & E was responsible for the fires that burned down so many houses in the last two years, they would simply turn off the power when there is a potential weather-related fire threat.
The citizens are being held hostage and fear-mongering is being used as a political ploy.
We went out to dinner and saw mobbed gas stations, packed grocery stores and everyone is talking about what if?
We have received, between the two of us, 4-6 emails, 3 telephone calls, warning us the power might be turned off tonight.
Check the map and put in your address.
Naturally, the website is flooded.
Schools have been cancelled and on and on.
We’ll still have water and gas, no matter what, but the worry about electricity has put everyone on edge.
I’ve got plenty to read. We’ll be fine.
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Southern California is getting it too, from General Electric — later this week, they’re saying. Don’t think my coastal area will be affected though, but possibly mt / hillside areas as close as Hollywood and Santa Monica. Orange County as well.
High winds are coming this week.
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https://apnews.com/094506920bba4e45b840ae3849832404
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The new picture is up, but not the link to post.
And I can’t wait around.
SO? Good morning anyhow.
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