Patricia, When your mom starts egging you on for an argument just try to remember that just because she's invited you to her "party" doesn't mean you have to accept the invitation. Just don't engage.

 

 

Well, I live right in the path that Hurricane Sandy when she comes onto land.  I live about an hour from the Jersey Shore, and she is supposed to make landfall during the night, during a full moon.  The borough I live in has declared a state of emergency and all of the schools throughout this region are closed tomorrow.  Amtrak has canceled train service throughout the entire Northeast Corridor.  New York City's subway system shut down this evening, and so did the transit system where I live.  We have been warned since Friday to prepare for long power outages.  That means making sure I have plenty of fresh drinking water, batteries for my flashlight, plenty of non-perishable food, and a non-electric can opener.  They say I should have a batter powered radio, in case I lose cell service, but I think I'll still be able to access the Internet for storm updates.

The borough council had robocalls made to all of the residents to either read the borough's website or go to the community access channel on my television.  They basically informed viewers that due to usual flooding at three key intersections out of the borough for three routes to the local hospital usually flood, so we would need to go a longer, alternate route.

I missed my church's baptism service and a post church luncheon.  I was in nursery during the service, and left church immediately afterward to go to a dear friend's daughter's first birthday party.  Well, it was no ordinary birthday party.  The couple got engaged about two years ago, and had the birthday girl out of wedlock a year ago.  They go to my church.  There were quite a few people at the party from church, and also friends and family.  Well, the couple thanked everyone for being there for Katelyn, and said that she was the best gift both of them could have.  Then, they said that the best gift for them to give her for her first birthday would be to get married, right then.  Then, they turned to the Pastor, who came over to them and married them.  It was such a beautiful, sweet surprise.  Nobody, but the groom's parents, was dressed up, not even the bride or groom.  She was wearing a casual dress, and he was wearing a polo shirt and jeans.  They wrote their own vows, which had both of them choked up.  Everyone was so surprised by their announcement that we all cheered, and of course we cheered when Pastor introduced them as husband and wife.  What a blessed day.

Hugs,

Trish

I got home from my trip to my daughter's in Michigan last night.  I hated leaving because it meant 12 hours in a car, plus an evening in a hotel, with my Mom, with whom I don't get along.  I lost my temper with her about a half hour before arriving at our hotel in Pittsburgh.  She accused me of Elder Abuse because I yelled at her.  I simply told her that she totally lacks empathy for me with my mental illness while comparing me with my older, now deceased brother, who had the same mental illness.  According to her, I was never as sick as him.  I told her he's been dead for four years, and since his death, I've been in the mental health ward of the local hospital.

Then, yesterday, another argument occurred about something that happened when I was a teenager.  She insists she was not involved in it, and told me I was lying when I told her she was.  

Mom is bipolar, and so am I.  She is not on a mood stablizer, but I am.  Unfortunately, she and I have never gotten along.  She has admitted resenting that my father treated me like a princess.  The story goes, my Dad took little interest in my older brother and sister, and that changed when I was born.  According to Mom, he said he should have waited until he was in his thirties till he had children, because he treated me entirely differently than my older siblings.  As a result, my Mom favored those two over me my entire life.

The praise is that my daughter and I got along well.  We had no conflicts, and my grandchildren were absolutely wonderful.  My granddaughter, Isabel, is learning to read in Kindergarten, and I had the opportunity to visit her classroom on a special visitors day where she read to me, and then I read a book she had borrowed from the school library.  My three year old grandson, Lincoln, is talking much better than he was in the Spring when I was out there.  My five month old grandson, Franklin, is starting to babble and gurgle, and trying to speak.  He's always happy, and smiling.

Isabel always has trouble at bedtime.  She has a lot of anxiety at bedtime, and keeps calling for her mother or father to come in to her room.  One evening, my daughter was out for a brief time, and I put her to bed, and read her a book, and we talked.  I reminded her of how much love God has for her, and that He promised to never leave her, and that He is always with her, especially at bedtime.  We prayed together and then I left the room.  A little while later, she called me back in the room.  I reminded her that God was with her.  She said she can't feel God there.  I reminded her of His promise, and that He loved her more than I do.  I told her she must trust Him.  She didn't call for anyone else that evening.  Please pray for her to learn to trust God at bedtime.

Also, please pray for my Mom.  She's 86, and has never said that her faith for salvation is in the cross of Jesus Christ.  She is totally ignorant of the Biblical Truths about this.  She says that she can't believe that a murderer can accept Christ and go to heaven.  I told her that the Apostle Paul and King David were both murderers.  Paul wrote most of the New Testament Epistles, and David was the apple of God's eye.  She still says that murderers should never get to heaven.

Sorry this is long.  I really needed to talk to someone today.

 

 Hi Karen,
Sorry I haven't been around lately.  I have been at my daughter's this week, and have not been on the computer much.  I'll be more active when I get home on Thursday.

I'm glad you were able to finish the prayer shawl, and bless June with it.  I know that had to bless you as well.

God bless.

Thank you very much for all the uplifting words. Keep us in your prayers.
God Bless
Evie