SHEs Organized

Ivy: I had the opposite problem. I just sat down to work on the sermon for Christmas Eve. The title was "Regifting God's Gifts to Us". The sermon flowed but when it was done, the title had to be changed! (It is now "Pondering God's Gifts to Us.")

Christmas Eve sermon and prayers are done. I only set out to write the prayers but for some reason was guided to write the sermon first. They aren't linked but I decide to do it the way the Spirit was guiding me.

I had assigned all the parts while in the car today (it was a job I could do away from my computer.) Now I need to build a rough bulletin so I can out that with the part and highlight where each child will be speaking.

Ds called looking for advice on spices so that delayed this post and my getting the dishes done. The hot water heater is really hot right now (the furnace must be running a lot with the cold) so I'm going to run the washing machine on hot water setting to clean it.

Kathryn, It's funny that you and I had opposite problems with titles today.

I'll re-read the little Christian children's magazine, for their titles, to see if I can grab a "catchy" title in my brain. I want both, the editor and kids to "want" to read the story. If the title's a good one, they will.

I ended up taking Children's Elixir for a 99.6* fever. Didn't sleep the best, so it could be why I ran a temp this evening. 2 Dr.'s told me when you don't sleep well, the next day it's normal to run a fever and they've done it when working on call all weekend and then Monday they often times have a fever.

Am wrapping gifts, rinsing and drying afghans with dryer sheets, to wrap and bag. I should be done by bedtime. I'm feeling much better, too.

On Monday we'll call two households to see if we can deliver gifts the same day, rather than 2 separate days out to deliver. The other couple are in Canada at the moment. Might not be able to deliver to them until the 20th or 23rd.

Another what-a-day here for me!

Dee, I'm sure we all wish your shoulder would miraculously fix itself. Wishing the best for DSR on 1/16.

(Sadie) don't start worrying about future pain. Some people get it, some don't after their surgery. DH took pain meds a little for a couple days, then quit when he realized he was going to take one just because it made him feel so good. His pain level was minimal. I hope your experience is similar.

MT, so sorry to read about your DH and his test. I can't believe you still have that monitor on. How long do you need to wear it? I only had mine on a couple days, and I hated every minute of it. I guess the previous wearer was a smoker. Yuck.

Harriet, happy DD & family made it ok and that was nice HRH was able to help your uncle.

Cowinkie, the room looks great! Good thing she didn't come here. My one guest bedroom is covered in christmas wrappings and packages. I've decided to work in there on the bed instead of the dining room table. I got tired of looking at the mess in there for weeks!

Went shopping today, 2 stores then the mall from one end to the other. I made it all the way down and I was so bushed I had to buy myself a coffee and a sandwich and sit for a bit. Revived, I finished and made the trip back up in order to find the car. Then I got a big load of groceries, so a good bit finished today. I have 13 people done, 1 left to do. I don't have as many gifts as I used to...the gifts each were more money than normal so I could only get most people 1 thing. Stuff seemed more expensive this year. Did anyone else notice that?

Whew glad to have that much done. I have to wrap, finish the shopping, and bake cookies. Tuesday I have to take an appetizer to a party. I've picked up the stuff for a bread & spinach dish. I'll get the bread Tuesday.

Off to bed now...

Kathryn, I read the titles in the Christian children's publication. Most of them were 2 - 4 word titles. I contemplated the "message" my story's about. The theme is "worry", to be published in August 2014. I decided, since the girl's world is full of changes, to merely call it "Changes." Short and sweet, with the idea they'll be tempted enough to read about what "changes" are in the story. Then, I wrote 4 rhyming poems, to send in a batch, in a separate manila envelope, other than the story's envelope, so I'll be writing 2 cover letters. DH is going to buy stamps on Monday and mail a mailer to a dfriend of mine, so DH can mail my mailers to the magazine editor the same day. It was extremely difficult to come up with titles to the poems, too. I tried to have them match the theme of the issue and of the poem, both. I'm rusty at writing poems, have never written poetry for kids ages 6 - 12, but I put myself into the body of a girl or boy that age, writing what I believe they'd learn from and like, too. It was fun, so on Sunday I need to get the manuscripts together, possibly also working Monday a.m. before DH goes, which usually is about 1 p.m. It's only 1.5 miles away to a satellite P. O.

I was happy how a religious book was shipped via UPS tonight, to be here in 1 - 3 days. DD said there's no rush on my reading the book "Ghost Stories of Washington," by Barbara Smith to ship back to her. I may use it as pick-up reading, much akin to pick-up work when one crochets or knits. The ghost stories are true, they're only 1 - 4 pages long and so very interesting. I'm learning a lot and it's not a book, which gives me the heebie-jeebies, either. I was happy to read where 1 haunted house called in someone to put the spirit to ease so they could cross over into the other world and leave the new family alone. It was a person, a man, who died by age 21, from an illness and his spirit haunted the home then. But he wasn't an evil apparition, who scared people. It had a happy ending, for me, to know he was finally at peace. This woman's written ghost books about different places in Canada, too. I'm enjoying it a lot.

I have the last and 3rd afghan to go trim loose ends off, when I get it out of the dryer, and will wrap it. Then, all wrapping will be done and I only have 2 cards from the "Sunshine Friends" club to get out. It's a pen pal club, where you sign up to show your interests in whatever types of cards you're interested in receiving. It's a ministry and people send Thinking of You, Birthday cards, Christmas cards, Valentine Cards, St. Patrick's Day cards, Easter and Thanksgiving cards. It's fun to know someone is thinking of you. Usually they don't become regular pen pals, but they reach out on specific days. It's nice.