Enjoy Life !!!

Had to giggle at a statement at the bottom of a friend's email....Joel

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO-HOO what a ride !!

Praying for Jimmy

Hi All,

We are praying for Jimmy. We just found out about his night at the hospital with the hip injury. We are so sorry and will be thinking of him and Karen. Is there anything that we can do to help?

Love,
Michon and John

Hello Everybody!

Hi all,

I've missed seeing you the last few weeks. It is unusual to go that long...

As you know, my folks were in town last week and I took them to Disneyland. That was one thing my mom, in particular, really wanted to do and Wednesday worked out the best. They were sorry to miss our small group (as was I) that they have grown so fond of! They wanted me to say hello to all of you and to wish you their best. They were able to attend Easter services here, though, and they loved it. They just love our church, and we couldn't agree more that it is a great place to be! After church, we all had a nice time with John's family in South Pasadena for a pool party and BBQ ~ it was very fun to have the crew all together!

John and I took the girls to Palm Springs for a few days this week for their Spring Break, and the weather was wonderful. We did a little shopping at the outlet mall (well, just me, but I couldn't help myself!) and then went to stay at our timeshare. We all went to Knott's Soak City on Wednesday, and they even got me to go on the Pacific Spin twice and it was SCARY! I had to be my bravest and think about the root beer floats that were coming after the long day just to get through it! It was a nice little getaway, though we would have loved at least one more day. Now we are back and trying to get home and work matters back to order before school starts again on Monday.

Not much else is new here. We are still praying everyday that God will bless us with a baby. So far we have had no luck, though we are continuing with the acupuncture treatments and herbal remedies. My deepest hope is that we don't have to get into taking drugs and doing even more painfully invasive, ridiculously expensive proceedures... and that somehow things will just work and it will happen naturally. When I think of the miracle of the resurrection, I realize that God can do anything, and that maybe He could make this miracle happen for us. If you wouldn't mind praying about it, too, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

Love you all,
Michon

Shroud of Turin

Last night, our men's group went to the Turin Center in Fountain Valley. About a two hour presentation. It was awesome !! Very moving ! If you have not seen it, I highly suggest it. The web site is www.shroudcentersocal.com/ Joel

wednesday night

DON,WHERE ARE WE MEETING WEDNESDAY NIGHT, OUR HOUSE OR YOURS?

MARTHA

Update on Daun's Mom

I talked to Daun this morning. Her mother has had a couple of good days! Yesterday she ate her milkshake (Ensure, pudding, protein powder, and vitamin powder), gatorade, and popsicles--all of this without meds to coat her throat. They are taking it one day at a time. I'm sure Bill will have more to tell us tonight, but it's nice that Mrs. Garrison has had some good days this week.
--Lyn

PARKINSON'S ENTER A NEW ERA

WE HAVE NOW BECOME BLOGGERS. WE ARE HOME FROM HAWAII AND PHOENIX AND GLAD TO BACK ON A REGULAR ROUTINE. WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF RE-PIPING OUR HOME AND IT IS A MESS RIGHT NOW. THE PIPING IS DONE , BUT WE CANNOT SEEM TO GET THE HOLES IN THE WALLS REPAIRED SO WE CAN REPAINT. I AM NOT COMPLAINING THOUGH AS THE WORLD HAS BIGGER PROBLEMS. SEE YOU TONIGHT. TOM

An Impossible Challenge?

An impossible challenge ??  (I put the title above...)
A pastor in Kansas City challenged his congregation to go 21 days without complaining( the amount of time some say to change a habit.) Special bracelets were distributed to participants as a reminder to live a complaint-free life. "Do all things without complaining and disputing." Philippians 2:14.

 (I hate it when people ask me not to complain! - OOPS!  I guess I need that bracelet!)

Who posted this?

Thanks, whoever you are!

Don

WE WANT PICTURES!!!!!

Okay Paula and Sammy.  I saw LOTS of digital cameras today at Aubrey's baptism!  We need some pictures here on the blog!  That way they'll always be here for us to remember and cherish.

What a special day for you guys!  We were so happy for Aubrey and her grandpa.  What a truly beautiful occasion.  

I talked with Bill today.  Daun's mother was having a great morning!  She rallied and even "ate" a popsicle today.  (She actually climbed out of her bed and walked to the couch in the living room!)

This is good!

Love you all...see you here at our house Wednesday!

Don

Baptism Tomorrow!

Great news, everyone!  Sammy & Paula's 10-year-old granddaughter, Aubrey, will be baptized Sunday after the second service.  I'm sure Sammy & Paula would love for us to be there if we can.  

Enjoy your Saturday, the first day of March!

--Lyn

Post-Choir Prayer report

We began choir rehearsal tonight with a season of prayer.

There were four main requests, all of which I want to pass on to you.

1)  Dienna Rogers' 24-year old son Richard Gamache will be buried tomorrow.  His services are at 10am at Dimond & Shannon Mortuary in Garden Grove.  The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions be given to CRIME SURVIVORS, INC.  

2)  Daun's mother, Ruth Garrison.  If she doesn't wake up with some alertness tomorrow morning, hospice nurses will interpret that as an indication that her body is shutting down.  In that case, the prognosis is anywhere from 48-72 hours.  Let's pray that she wakes up with some energy in the morning.

3)  Michelle Pate's sister Cheri Diaz.   It looks like they are definitely going to lose their home through foreclosure.  This is and extremely difficult and stressful situation for her family.  (Her husband's mother is very seriously ill in a distant city.  Very sad.  Cheri and Juan have four children.

4)  GOOD NEWS - Janet Overton told a beautiful story about the imminent reunion of her sister with a son she hasn't seen since his birth.  I can't go into details here, but it's a moving story, worthy of a Hallmark special!

So, please keep these updates in mind as you continue your praying.    Of course, we will be in special prayer for John and Michon's  friend Dawn.

DON

Good Job, Don!

This is pretty neat, Don. Thanks for putting it together. I enjoyed your vision and think that having the prayer requests listed will help me be more dilligent in that department. I hope that your grandchildren are better soon. It's been tough for them lately.

Tomorrow is the viewing for Paige. I hear that Dawn is not doing very well. They are going to take up a collection for her at the salon, but John and I are going to contribute as soon as we know the details. Hopefully it will be of some comfort to them during this sad, sad time.

Woo Hoo ~ go, Samantha, go! I looked on the Miss Huntington Beach website and Samantha has got the beauty vote for sure. She is a gorgeous girl and I hope that her sweet spirit comes through as obviously to the judges as it does to me. Sammy and Paula did a great job with their girls ~ beautiful and nice... and Christians!

Glad to hear that Shiela is better! xoxo

Thanks for the baby prayers.

Love to you all,
Michon (O:

Don,
"Fourteen people united together......." Have this vision of us 14, locked arm and arm , strutting our stuff as we walk down Beach Blvd., getting rid of all the "evil-doers ! "With the armor of God, WE CAN"T BE BEAT !!  Nice vision!

JOEL???

Did you know ?? You take a breath 18 times a minute,1,080 times an hour, 25,920 a day. And each of those breaths was a measured gift from the hand of God. "Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord" Psalm 150:6 JL

Remember this Story?

I loved this story of "Team Hoyt,"  the inspirational story of a father who committed himself to training for a Triathlon to honor his disabled son's deep desire to compete in a race.

Click here for the beautiful video!

Awesome story.

(I did this in part to demonstrate some options with pictures and "links" to videos or whatever....)

By the way, it was one month ago today that I started my own blog.  (I knew absolutely nothing about it then.)

Don

Haley's Got Croup!!

Please be praying for Haley--again!  She has the croup now.  Curtis is just now leaving to take her to the doctor.  

They were much of the night with her--vaporizer, hot shower steam.

Poor kid, first one thing and then another.

Also, Lexi was grabbing the side of her head yesterday morning in the nursery, crying and saying "Owie."  She's already on antibiotics for ear infection.  Kristi thinks it may be a molar she's cutting causing a lot of pain.  

So, a prayer for her would be greatly appreciated.  

They were all supposed to leave today for  a few days of relaxation with friends up in Vegas. That may not get to happen now.  (Answered prayer:  They took Haley to doctor; she got a steroid shot and the doctor said they should take the trip.  He expects Haley to respond well over time to the shot and that she should do well on the Vegas outing.)

Thanks for praying for our little ones--yet again!  AMEN!

Thanks!

Don

Sheila's Better

Sheila's starting to finally feel better. Thanks for the prayers Joel

Prayer Requests - February 27

Here is a reminder of the prayer requests we received yesterday:

1. John & Michon's hairdresser and friend, Dawn, whose 19-20 year-old daughter Paige passed away last Friday. Services will be this weekend at Grace Church.

2. John & Michon's desire for a baby :)

3. Samantha Gallo competing for Miss Huntington Beach this weekend. Good luck, Samantha!

4. Joel & Sheila's dughter Jackie, flew back to Boston for her cousin Timmy's funeral who passed away at 38 with leukemia. Please pray for the family and Jackie's safe travel back to California.

5. Ruth Garrison, Daun Newman's mother. Please continue to pray for Ruth and for the family as they minister to her and to each other.

6. Good health for Sheila Lewis who has been battling a sinus infection.

7. Dienna Rogers, on the loss of her 24-year-0ld son last Friday in an ATV accident in Maryland. Services will be Friday in Garden Grove. (Dienna is a member of our EXALT! worship choir.)

8. Damon Reid (Lyn's brother) who will be leaving Friday on a mission trip to Haiti, even though he is fighting a severe sinus infection and stomach virus. He is determined to make the trip, so please pray for improved health and safety for him and others on this mission to build a church camp.

9. Jack Thomas - three new "spots" of cancer. He will begin chemo in the hospital Monday, March 3.

10. Just added - Our daughter Jennifer has been fighting dizzy spells for the last 5 days. The doctor said it's probably a virus, but it's not getting any better. She would appreciate your prayers.

--Posted by Lyn Sewell

Welcome Small Group!

Well, this is our first day "online."  I hope you will enjoy this and use it often.  Feel free to write what you're thinking.  

Sign in and click on "Customize" or "Dashboard"  

Have fun playing with it.  You can edit your stuff, as much as you want.  We can all add comments to things that you write.  (You'll have to use our email account and log-in password as well.)  Since we all have the same log-in, you'll need to sign your name to everything you post or any comment you make.

I had to create a new log-in password....the other was too short.  I'll email you about it.

Love you all!

Don