Trusting the Lord and Retiring Sept 30, 2010

Terry and I made the decision after praying about it and seeing this as leading from the Lord.

I am over the moon happy!

This is an act of Faith making ends meet each month but we believe He will find a way.

After this past month, both Terry and I know more than ever that life is so precious.

Aspects I am going to enjoy:

My passion for photography

some travel around the USA

sharing our love for trains, covered bridges, "side trips", country roads etc etc.

Attempting to begin painting thrift store funiture white

Talking long walks around our community

Loving every day spent with my precious hubby.

I gave my boss written notice on Tuesday.

I will be 64 the end of September and Terry has been retired for 7 years this August.

It's past time we had fun together during the week too!

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Lynn

A New Beginning

Happy Monday!

This is a blessed thank you to all the precious friends that prayed on Terry's behalf for the miracle of healing he received. We also found out there were no cancer cells in the fluid drained from the cysts.

Praise the Lord and all the precious prayers!

While sitting with Terry in the hospital last week I was reading a beautiful book, Abiding IN HIS STRENGTH by Gwen Wilkerson.  Found this wonderful book at the library thrift store for $1.

As I was reading, a line on page 110 jumped at at me; "Both of us recognized that the Lord has given us a new beginning as a gift, but He expected us now to work with Him to keep going forward in His Way".

Terry and I have talked over what this means for us since last Wednesday.  We want to be open to His leading.

We are both excited about the future and want to be sure our lives witness for Him on a daily basis.

How I cherish each of you that prayed for my husband's healing.

God Bless and have a wonderful Monday.

Lynn

Praise the name of Jesus! We have a miracle!

 

Yesterday Terry was scheduled for his kidney biopsy. When the radiologist view the ultrasound

taken yesterday, the "mass" was a complex cyst, not a solid tumor. They drained the cyst and

took the fluid for culture, but no biopsy was done as you cannot do a biospy on fluid.

PRAISE THE NAME OF JESUS!

We are waiting on the results of the culture which should take 48 hours and a call from his Dr.

We were told repeatedly that this COULD NOT be a cyst, that is was solid.

We were also told not to get our "hopes up" as this "mass" was "probably cancer".

OUR HOPE WAS IN JESUS CHRIST.

Terry is  resting and has some discomfort as they did insert the needle through his back to  drain

the fluid from the cyst in his kidney.

 We are  PRAISING HIM!

We thank each and everyone of you for your continued prayers all this past month. We truly felt the comfort and power of those prayers.

Once we have talked with his Dr, I will advise more.

One side aspect of this past month is that I learned that I want to stay this close to the Lord

for everything, every day.  

Once I opened my hands and held out everything to HIM,  HE gave me new desires.

There is nothing I want more now than to be the women HE wants me to be.

As a wife, a Christian friend, HIS child.

I am going to add PRAYER Requests to my side bar and would be honored if you would allow me to enter into prayer on your behalf for any need you may have. I will have a hard copy journal and pray faithfully for every need you entrust me with.

Together we will comfort and rejoice in HIM.

God Bless you real good!

Lynn

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Good Morning sweet followers and everyone.

If you have been reading my blog this past month you will know that in late January an ultrasound found a mass in my husband's kidney.

 This mass, we have been told, is almost 8 centimeters. Almost double the size of

the usual mass found in the kidney.

You will also know that 12 years ago Terry lost his other kidney to cancer.

This past month he has undergone, CT scan, CT scan with contrasts, and MRI, all coming back

"INCONCLUSIVE".

Today they are doing the biopsy at 11am EST.

It is 2:41 am and I woke up with songs of praise for my Lord on my lips and a smile on my face

because I serve a Risen Saviour who has the power to show the world that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Total healing of this mass and Terry's kidney takes just a touch from the Lord.

I have sat in the bathroom this morning, wanting to Praise HIM in song out loud,

but sang in my heart and whispers as not to wake Terry.  (Also I sing very off tune, lol.)

So as you are reading this today, I ask you to join me in PRAISE to the Lord of MIRACLES!

There have been so many Dr's, technicians and such who have seen each of the scans this past month.

Can you imagine not seeing a mass this morning in the ultrasound or scan they use for the biopsy?

Praise the Lord, for HE is the Lord Miracles.

Every knee shal bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Thank you Jesus for healing the man I love with all my human heart.

We have been told that it will take 48 hours for the results of the biopsy.

Have a beautiful day!

God Bless each of you.

Lynn

My First Award - I apologize for such late acceptance of such an honor!

Have you ever received something so special, so stunning and so unexpected at the same time
that you had just found out the most upsetting news?

This is my very public apology to the lovely Duchess at Rose Tree Cottage for not accepting this award in a public post until today.

The same day or the day after The Duchess bestowed the "Honorary Noble of The Most Excellent Order of the Blog Empire" on me and several other wonderful bloggers, my husband's Dr called to say his
ultrasound on his only remaining kidney was showing "something and he would need a CT Scan".

My dear Duchess, I am deeply honored, and deeply ashamed that I never posted my wonderful award until today.

My husband is "my everything" and while I know I did thank you in an email, I did not  post my wonderful award acceptance.

To be honest, I started my blog knowing nothing about blogging and never read the "requirements" for "accepting awards" because I never thought my little blog would qualify this soon. To say I was stunned when I read that my blog was one of several beautiful blogs to receive this award does not begin to say how happy I was.
Duchess, I am deeply honored in accepting this Most Excellent Award, however late it may be.

For any of you who have not met the charming, gracious  Duchess at Rose Tree Cottage, please drop by for visit. You will have a lovely time and be served tea at 4:30.
Thank you my dear friend Duchess.

Blessings,
Lynn

Happy Valentine's Day!

Cupid thinks this is the "coldest" Valentine's Day in memory in Florida!

Think he needs a blanket.

I was getting the table ready last night for Sunday because I gave Terry his gift today.

I found a "N" scale model train swap meet an hour away.

We went out for breakfast and then drove to the swap meet.

He had such a good day.

Found more than he thought he ever would.

He found two engines and two hoppers, I think they hoppers.

Then we went to our favorite place on a date: Barnes and Noble.

Where we had a light supper while looking at magazines.

I was just playing around with the dishes.

I know there is no silver on the table yet.

Loved the cranberry glass candleholders

But my candles fell over....so

Had to swtich to....

To my other favorites.

In the mirror you are looking toward the corner of my kitchen cupboards

Looks kind of weird, but the layout of my home is perfect "cottage"

Remember I am doing this last night.
Trying to figure out what I could use for the centerpiece.
Gave up and spent the evening with Terry.

When we came home today look what was waiting for me!

Yes, I cried.
Thus, I now realize I did not place them directly in the center before I took the  picture.
I was just crying happy tears.
I am so blessed to have this wonderful man for my husband.
God is so good.

Enjoy your day ladies.

Lynn

Remember Somewhere In Time Is Having A Valentine's Celebration Saturday!

I had intended to do two back to back days of photos I had taken from one of my favorite places, Somewhere In Time, Antiques and More, in Brandon FL.
I did post the first post, but then my attention was on my hubby due to his health issue.
However, we are in a "waiting period" right now for the biopsy.
So while we wait, I wanted to remind everyone in Tampa Bay to drop in at Somewhere In Time, this Saturday, Feb 13th. 10am - 6pm.  Remember there is a huge gift basket being given away. You must sign up for that at the front desk.

Just to give you a taste of the treasures you will encounter or make you wish you lived in the Tampa Bay, Florida, I am posting the rest of the pictures I took a few weeks ago.

I know how much several of you love blue.

This is for you. Several beautiful pieces to fall in love with!

This table is even more stunning in person!

Want to see the matching bench that you only can see the legs of in this picture?

Also take note of the beautiful linens and clothing.

Lovely blue dishes.

Believe me, if i could find a way to fit this beautiful bench in I would snatch this up.

Along with the tablecloth. 

Some lovely items for Valentine's Day.

I know how we all love to find a great piece of silver for our collections.

Or an entire silver coffee and tea set.

So many nooks and crannies filled with silver treasures.

In fact, if you look toward the right rear of the tray you will see something I bought.

Want a closer look?

Isn't this awesome?  A gravy boat that tips.

I just realized this picture is blurred. I did so want to show how it tipped on the hinges.

Sorry for the bad photo.

You are right, I have not cleaned this yet but wanted to share this with you

because I love the uniqness of it.

I have been looking for a sugar scuttle and cannot find one, so when this caught my eye I was thrilled.

Notice the detail. After I clean it, I will show it again.

More pretty dishes and look at the white boot.

Shabby Chic section I always love.

I love this store because it certainly has something for everyone.

So many pretty dishes to choose from.

So many lovely teacups.

 Another view of the Shabby Chic section I love.

More dishes to droll over.

Still more.

The red dishes on the top are great for Valentine's Day, but I just the shelf with the pink items.

More silver treasures.

More red for Valentine's Day.

Stunning glassware.

 

Very elegant white and silver set.

Finally, this adorable cherub. I love cherubs but passed her up to buy the gravy bowl

I showed you above.

Remember this Valentine Celebration is this Saturday, Feb. 13th at

Somewhere In Time, Antiques and More

Brandon, FL

I will not be able to be there.

Remember to sign up for the lovely basket they are giving away.

The basket has actually been updated with more beautiful items since I took this picture originally.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Blessings,

Lynn

Abiding In The Lord This Valentine's Day

For this week, I am using the Valentine card my husband gave me 12 years ago as my header.

I totally loved this card and kept it with my photo board next to my computer.

12 years ago they had just told us he had a tumor in his kidney.

Here we are again as Valentine's Day approaches.

This is actually a brand new pillow Terry and I found at the thrift store last week.

My Vista operating system is not "user friendly" in that it now refuses to

allow me to use  the cable,  the card or a disc (that Terry makes from his computer) to download my photos.

So I have been taking the card to CVS, printing them and scanning into the computer.

Tonight I was looking at this pillow and wanted to put it on my blog for this post.

Not running out at 1:36 am to print photos!

So I simply scanned it!

Hence the edges are a bit blurred but I know you all know it says LOVE.

I am so blessed by HIS love. I am abiding in that love especially now.

Today, we were told that the MRI is not conclusive either.

Terry has opted to have a renal biopsy done asap.

This has a 15% error rate, meaning if it came back "not cancer" it is 85% correct.

Wanted to break up the words with pretty Valentine's pictures.

My little jar filled with candy and on the top cinnamon hearts.

If the biopsy does show "no caner" then we wait 4 months until Terry can have another MRI

to see if there is change.

Right now,  all the scans shows it has not gone beyound the kidney if it indeed is cancer.

So the heart of a wife who adores her husband wanted to tell him,

Go with getting rid of the kidney, dialysis has a prognosis of 5-6 years.

I want those 5-6 years with you.

But when he asked my opinion at the Dr's I simply told him,

"It has to be your decision".

BUT....

My human heart wanted to be selfish

I knew he was right to choose to do the biopsy first.

BUT MY HEART WANTED TO BE SELFISH!

Awhile ago, I felt the Lord telling me, now was the time to share with Terry.

So I did, in love.

I said that if he listened to me and  later found that it was not cancer, he would have ended up hating me.

He smiled and said, "No I wouldn't hate you".  "Because I wouldn't have done it without the biopsy".

Just another "pretty" to break up all the words.

Then the Lord spoke to my heart and told me to "trust the 85%".

But the Lord has already, much earlier spoken to Terry's heart.

So yes I am so blessed by HIS love!

His LOVE that knows my human weakness and spoke firmly to my husband today

on what HE wanted for Terry.

BLESSED

By a husband who opens his heart to know the Lord's will for his life and obeys.

Praise the name of Jesus!

Have a blessed day.

Lynn

Beauty While We Wait

Good Morning,

 First of all, I would like to thank Julie at Country Girl at Heart.blogspot.com and her SIL for allowing me to share the wonderful quote about a women's heart that is new today on my sidebar.  Julie's SIL had used it on her Facebook status and when I read that on Julie's blog I just knew I had to have that on my sidebar. If you have not checked out Julie's heartwarming, beautiful blog, you will be in for a treat. Please tell her Lynn sent you.

Next, the best intentions fall by the wayside when someone you love has a health issue, especially a very serious one. Tomorrow we meet with the Dr's again to see if the MRI Terry had last Thursday is conclusive as to what the "mass" in his only kideny is.
So why I am praying and praising the Lord, I thought I would show you some pictures of thrift store finds and such. I had planned on joining the parties so I could get to meet many of you for the first time, but I wanted to wait until we know about Terry.
Please enjoy my "little treasures".

Plates, Home Goods, napkins from Somewhere In Time, Brandon, FL

plate is Johnson Brothers Rose Chintz.

Silver coffee pot and sugar/creamer from the Thrift Store near Daytona Bch

Maxwell Williams Rambling Rose tea pot, part of my Christmas Gift from Terry

I love to change my tablescapes.
I love crystals!

Bought this little cherub for .50 in thrift store.

Terry gave me the Rambling Rose, tea pot, two cups/saucers and

cream and sugar for Christmas.

Someday this table will be white. On my to-do list!

My new cherub candleholders from Somewhere In Time.

Just realized that the "dust remover" compressed gas for the computer keyboard

shows in the window. That is the breakfront area where my white wicker desk it

and the room I am painting and doing over sometime soon, I hope.

 This is breakfront area now, left as it was when Terry's health issue threw us a curve.

The windows curve around the front and on the other side is my wicker desk and the etched glass windows.

Did you notice the lamp?

I fell in love with this lamp when I was taking the pictures at

Somwhere In Time a few weeks ago.

The little cherubs were .50 and the larger one was $2 at the thrift store.

Different stores.

Hope you enjoyed these pictures.  I will be posting more this week.

Also,  a reminder of the Valentine's Give-A-Way at

Somewhere In Time, this weekend.

If you are in the Tampa Bay area, you won't want to miss this!

Have a blessed day.

Lynn

CT Scan With "Contrasts" Was Inconclusive - MRI Tomorrow!

Monday night I posted that Terry and I were celebrating how the Lord is going to work

with the "mass" in his kidney.

He brought me the flowers home and two other bouquets and cooked his

speciality dinner for us.

Stuffed salmon, mashed potatoes with chives and veggies with citrus sauce.

It was even more yummy than it looks.

I had given Terry, our life, our future together to the Lord when the first ultrasound

showed a "mass" in his only remaining kidney.

Then he had a CT scan, they they needed CT scan with "contrasts".

Yesterday we went back to find out his what the mass was and his options.

The "contrast" scan was inconclusive! PTL!

The Dr has his partner review the scan also.

We know this mass is 2/3 of his kidney so if it is cancer they cannot save his kidney

as it is in the middle, smack in the middle.

However, there is something about this mass that does not look exactly like cancer usually does.

If this is a cyst,

 and Terry is prone to cysts, they can drain the cyst and his kidney will remain.

We were sitting in the Dr's office on Tues, waiting for him to come in.

I am singing, in my head and heart, all the songs of praise that continually come to mind.

The waiting goes on past 10 minutes.

I'm praising HIM over and over for another 10 minutes or so.

Then the Dr. comes in and tell us what I stated above.

Of course, the Dr does not want us to get our hopes up because it "probably" is cancer.

But now they need an MRI tomorrow.

The Dr did say if the MRI is inconcluise too, they can do a biopsy.

I am praising HIM for the continued testing to make sure his kidney is not removed

and then to find out it was not cancer.

Of course, I had already covered all the Dr, and anyone who touched Terry during this time of testing

with prayer for HIS Will.

So we wait on HIM again until next Tuesday.

Terry had yet another blood test today and his blood work is just fine.

So on to the MRI tomorrow.

Please join me in Praise and Prayer.

Let's show the world what Jesus Christ can do!

What the power of prayer can do.

Tonight the words to a song a sang all the time, before the deafness came to mind.

"I will do thy Will oh, Lord. I will do thy will.

"Something_ forgot the word....is not grievious to me, I will do thy will Oh Lord"

As we wait on HIM for the results on Tuesday,

Have a blessed day.

Lynn