The Stomach Flu Hit!

Mom did not go to the Elderly Center. I kept her home just to observe. She was getting better, but still soiled her underwear! Alan, myself and Isaiah were hit with the stomach flu. I decided to fast! Just water! And all I wanted to do was sleep... But Mom was feeling better and she wanted to go out. I put her in front of the TV and she watched Little House. I did another load of soiled bedding!

That's all I did... I was walking around but my head was slightly achy and I just wanted to lay down! It was forced rest... Exhaustion hit! I didn't go to my tap class. No way... and in the evening, I cancelled my tutoring for Tuesday and possibly postponed my Wednesday Bible study to 12/16!

And I went back to sleep...

Daily Lovely Insight:

My dearest friend, Suz, did a Zoom devotional and sent me her talk notes. What an inspiring talk! She traced through the Bible the anticipation of the coming Messiah... 

While I was reading it, I was so encouraged to see how parts of her talk fits so perfectly for my talk on HOPE! With her permission, I'm going to use some of it for Sunday! With my recent bout with the stomach flu, this is an answer to prayer. She did all the research for me and she even has the ppt file. I just need to add to it! God is so beautiful... In my weakness, He continually supplies and sustains! I'm not sure how I will feel tomorrow... But I'm trusting God to carry me through!

Seek Him First!

Way Too Busy!

There were more laundry to do... At least the plastic pads helped! But I still had to wash two loads! And then rush to a baptism as one of my students from Soochow was getting baptized. I got home and Mom had finished her breakfast and was sitting in front of the TV with a plastic pad under her and in her pajamas, watching Little House! She was on the road to recovery! Thank you for your prayer!

I got another load in the dryer and went off to tutor!

I had to tutor from 12:30 - 2:30 and then go to Costco as I wanted to get a cake for one of the HOP members' birthday! I got to church by 3:15 and set everything up! I also had to translate!

At the Love Feast, I ate too fast and when I got home, I sure didn't feel well. I got Mom to bed... and up-chucked! Much better! So, I had a mug of ginger tea! And did one more load of laundry! Everything was stinking up the house! Maybe that's another reason I upchucked! The house is smelling so much better!

It was an extremely busy day... I am taking tomorrow to rest!

Daily Lovely Insight:

Our speaker, Pastor Yang, spoke on Hope and mentioned this verse: Micah 5:2. This little town of Bethlehem can also be known as the place of HOPE. For the prophecy was given that from this place, a ruler will come forth, but no one ever thought the ruler would be a baby born in a manger. Sometimes, the LORD works HOPE in our lives in ways we never expected!

Seek Him First!

It's Not Getting Any Slower...

Mom had diarrhea today... So, that tells you what a busy day I've had!

Changed her bedding and had to wash everything! All the blankets and her clothes... THREE SETS! Every time I gave her a fresh set of clothes, she soiled them! Now, this evening, after four tums and just bread and ginger tea, she sat happily watching Little House! She also went to her massage, and again soiled another set of clothes! But by bedtime, she got another soiled underwear... And then went to bed! we will see what this night will be like!

What else happened?

Well, the donation yesterday had many items that the second hand store didn't want, so they called. Alan drove over and picked up an old suitcase, some old magazines, a CD rack with about 200CD, and a radiator heater! I called a church that is having a flea market sale from today to Christmas and they said they would be willing to take everything. Alan helped me clean and sort through the stuff. We threw out the suitcase and the magazines, stacked all the CDs and cleaned the beautiful black rack and the radiator heater and drove over to the church. The people were so nice and appreciative! I was exhausted!

Abby went for a workout. Isaiah watched basketball. 

I had to catch up on work!

Daily Lovely Insight:

I do not lose heart... I might be exhausted, but I give thanks. I know my God is able! On a day like this, I hold on to truth!

Seek Him First!

Run-Around Date!

It was an early start here... 

Alan and I read, prayed and headed out for lunch. We then went to support the YWCA "Rummage Sale". They had a pre-sale and in just two hours, they made a lot of money. Alan waited downstairs while I went to look. I can understand why. They had Ferragamo shoes for 4500NT$. Coach bags for 3000NT$. It was a high class 'rummage sale'-- way over my budget! But I did get a charcoal mini BBQ grill and a Cuisinart Yogurt/Ice Cream Maker -- 700NT$ for both! These are not for me, but for church friends who like to go camping and make their own treats! I will google some recipes and try out the yogurt maker. 

After that, we drove to help a friend who is cleaning out their house for remodeling. Our entire car plus my lap was stacked with things. We drove carefully over to our neighborhood second-hand store and donated everything. We then headed to Costco. It was a madhouse, so Alan dropped me off and I went in to buy just a few things. I had a list. On the way to the checkout stand, I saw EGG NOG! I bought 16 cartons!

We came home and unloaded everything. I put everything away, and Mom was home! Wahhhh... I didn't even have time to go for a run!

So, after Mom went to bed, later than I had planned, I went out! I ran slowly as I was a bit tired!

Daily Lovely Insight:

I needed this verse today... 

Often times in all my rushing around, I feel quite limited and tied by time constraint. I have many things that I'd like to do to help others or to fix things around our house, but my weekends are pretty much taken with the care of my mom. On the week days, I have tutoring and Bible studies. For example, it is difficult to pull out the stuff under our bathroom sinks to treat the wall with anti mildew paint! I have all the stuff, but not the time! 

This verse helped me to see that I have the Holy Spirit and thus, there is freedom. I am not limited. There will be things I can't get done each day and it's ok. I am planning to get to these tasks during the Chinese New Year break... maybe! But then Mom would also be home... Oh well... I will get to these tasks... one of these days! Until then, where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is FREEDOM!

Seek Him First!

Carrefour and Tutoring!

It was cold and raining... but the Lord gave me an hour without a downpour so that I can go for my hour run!

Let me back up... 

This morning after Mom left, I got busy with prepping for my talk. I don't turn on the WiFi and just work offline! At around 10am, I ran out to look for stool softener pills and vitamins and get our bank books updated! I found some natural pills with herbs and I think they will work better than the new pills that Annie sent me. I won't go into details... but I'm going to try this week. 

I rushed back, changed clothes and went out for my hour run!

I got home in less than 65 minutes (10k), showered and sat down to tutor. The first session went long... so I had a very short break before starting the second one. That ended late and we stopped only because the phone rang, signaling that the driver was just a minute away. I popped Mom's dinner in the microwave and headed downstairs.

She enjoyed her dinner. I had bought wontons and BBQ pork for her at Carrefour. I love that store! I forgot to mention that they have the huge can of Campbell cream of mushroom soup. Costco discontinued that, so I've been wanting to find it. Costco only sells clam chowder soup! I ordered 7 cans on line as I couldn't lug it home with me. They will deliver everything tomorrow! NICE! They will even carry it right to our front door!

After Mom went to bed, Isaiah was home, and I took off to tutor! My last tutoring session was from 7:30 to 9pm. On the way home, I dropped off an outfit to a dear sister who is going through chemo!

Daily Lovely Insight:

This verse is just so beautiful... Christ in me, the Hope of Glory. 

Yes, I'm preparing for my talk in two weeks... 

Seek Him First!

Souffle and Bible Study and Counseling...

After Mom left, I started to bake for my afternoon Bible study! The souffle turned out beautifully and it was completely gobbled up!

The Bible study was great, too!

I then dropped off donations and bought fruit. I had time after getting back to make dinner. Oh... I had fit in a run before my Bible study... And the weather was so perfect!

This evening we had counseling... another very long session... Please keep them in your prayers!

Daily Lovely Insight:

A Life of Giving Generously... That was the topic for our Bible study today. We talked about how God gives us His presence and has promised never to abandon or leave us. We talked about the widow who gave the two copper coin and how she trusted God. We talked about challenges that we faced and we ended the time with prayer. It was a big step of faith for all the students to pray in English, but most of them did. And then I found out that one of the young men has decided to go through baptism this Sunday. What an amazing step of faith! He told his parents and they have approved. He talked to them about the changes he has experienced since coming to know Jesus. I see the changes in him. There is one more young man who should be getting baptized as well. I will wait and see... Please pray!

Seek Him First!

 

Rainy, Rainy, Rainy!

So glad I took the time to rest yesterday, because it was back to go, go, go today...

I did a load of laundry before my Bible study this morning. I had pork chops and stuffing ready. I didn't make mashed potatoes as I didn't want to have too much leftovers crammed into my fridge!

When the study finished (we studied the cursing tongue), I rushed back and put things away and went out for my10k run.

After a quick shower, I left to tutor at 2pm. The tutoring session went well... very well... This kid is finally catching on!

I was going to stop by the library, but on my way out, this other kid in the house needed some help with his math homework. Word problem... So I helped him figure out three problems. By the time I left, it was getting rainy and cold. I decided to go straight home. It was good that I did as I only had 20 minutes before Mom was back. In that time, I made dinner. Mac and cheese, corn soup and stuffing! 

I had Bible study this evening. So, after Mom went to bed, I changed to warmer clothes and went out again. Isaiah and Abby were both home. Alan had evening classes and didn't get back until around 8:30, I think! I had their dinner set... so they could help themselves. Angela, from my morning Bible study, had made marshmallows with yam. There was plenty of that leftover, so they enjoyed that!

Daily Lovely Insight:

In our study this morning, we read Luke 6:45:

So many people seem to have such a foul mouth and it's all over the media! I can't even watch a movie these days because the entire film is filled with obscenity! According to the verse, I guess it reflects what the heart of people are filled with these days... 

Seek Him First!