UPDATE WITH YET ANOTHER PRAYER REQUEST:  This one for our dear Mom Betty!
Some of you have followed my entries, and know the situation with my in-laws, Mom Betty, and O.P.  Well, we got a call from the retirement village, and she’s been taken to the hospital!  She had called her daughter, and said she had a major rash breaking out on her chest, and her daughter said that she was not sounding rational with other things she was saying, so they sent a nurse to her room, and found she had a temperature of 103*, and after being examined, decided right away, to send her to the hospital.  My sister-in-law is with her now, and my husband is on his way to be with her, as well.  I will keep you updated on her, and also on my friend *Karen > (*see prayer request below), as I hear about them both.  Right now I’m feeling pretty helpless, not being able to go see either one with this ’flu’ that I have again, but I’m praying for them both, and I thank you again, so much for your thoughts and prayers for both of these dear people!   Blessings!  <>< 

*Before I update, I do have an urgent prayer request … you might have heard that we have had icy weather the past couple of days … well, a sweet friend of mine, Karen, fell on that ice outside her daughter’s home today!  They rushed her to the hospital to find that she had fractured her pelvis!  They then transferred her to another hospital where her surgery will take place sometime this morning, and I would ask that you lift her up in prayer, as well as her family!  She isn’t much older than me, and is very blessed with a large family, so she is a very busy wife, and homeschool mom!  They just saw their oldest daughter married this past October … this is a photo of Karen, (second from the left) and her family below … four beautiful daughters, and two handsome sons … they are a very musical family, and are a wonderful testimony to the Lord!  This is major surgery, that requires a long recovery period, and they’re all going to need abundant grace to get through it!  Her oldest son, Michael, (second from the right) grew up with Ian, and is one of his best friends, and Ian is concerned for her … we all are, so your prayers would be coveted!  Thank you all so much!!  

~ The Norton Family ~
“…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
(James 5:16b)

Well, I can’t thank you all enough, for your thoughts and prayers, and for coming by to leave your kind words about Ian’s accident.  I spoke to him yesterday, and his neck is still pretty sore, and his leg is still bruised.  We’re hoping he’ll get x-rays soon … our chiropractor told us to tell him to get them ASAP … he said that you can never know what might show up after an accident like that.  He may be able to come home after the first of the year for a visit … we’re praying!

We had a busy weekend with the show, although it was a tad bit slow … still, I’m very thankful for every bar of soap, or candle, that I sold!  I found a great buy on another teacup for my collection … I’ll do photos on those soon.  Saturday night we went to my husband’s company Christmas party, which they had for all their employees in their home.  We had a nice meal, good conversation, and she definitely loved to decorate for the holiday!  I wish I could have taken photos, but, being in their home for the first time, well, I just didn’t think that would be appropriate!  Besides all of the outdoor lights they had, indoors, we found snowmen of every type, a huge display of a Christmas village, with lights in all the little buildings, which I couldn’t quit looking at.  Kind of made me want to shrink myself and go inside!  There were snow globes sitting on every table that played Christmas music, and even her pictures on the walls had been wrapped in festive Christmas paper, each one complete with a bow!  I was looking for a Nativity scene in the midst all of it, but there wasn’t one to be found.  The ‘boss’ made a comment about my husband blessing the food, but no more was said after that.  He’s been sharing the Lord with him … he seems open, but it just takes time, and much prayer! 

Sunday was very slow at the show … so we closed up a little early.  My sister, and her husband, came and helped us to load.  After being sick before, I didn’t have a whole lot of energy, and now, again, I find myself coughing, so it’s hard to sleep, and feeling achy, and tired.  I must have caught something more at the show … a lot of people were coughing there.  Me, well, when I’m sick, I stay home so I don’t spread it to others!  So now … again, I’m staying home, even though I so want to go see Karen and be with her at the hospital!  My husband has been blessed and hasn’t had any sign of a cold, or flu, even though people around him at work have it.  I’m thankful that he’s staying well … he may go ahead tomorrow, and spend some time with her husband at the hospital even if I can’t go.  I’ve been resting most of the week, and yesterday, I made some homemade chicken & rice veggie soup to help get me well for this next week!  Missing Thanksgiving with his family was bad enough, and I don’t want to miss Christmas Eve dinner with them, too!  On Christmas day, we’re supposed to be going to my sisters, and I’m going to be cooking something for both places!  Pray I feel better soon!

We’re getting more bad weather here in the form of sleet again … and I’m very thankful that my hubby wasn’t hurt yesterday morning when HE fell on the ice that had accumulated in our driveway the night before!  He salted it, but said he apparently missed a spot!  He said he landed just right, and didn’t feel any pain!  With this new storm, it could get nasty again!  Well, I do hope you’re all safe and warm … I know some places are getting snow that’s unheard of … like the desert in Las Vegas?!  It’s supposed to warm up to the 50′s here, after this latest winter storm passes!  We just never know what we may get these days … anywhere! 

Be blessed, everyone, and have a great weekend!  Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers for Karen, and her precious family!  I’ll keep you updated as I hear from Michael.  In the meantime, I’ll be visiting around here this weekend, as I eat my chicken soup, and drink my hot tea!  

And before I forget … do click on over to BetsaflyGallery and see all the great ‘snow’ pictures!  I have one in there, and I need to remind everyone … before it all melts!  )

  Hugs,
             ~ Deborah <><