Positive Post Tuesday

I have decided to recognize the online people who were contributing factors to my letting God back into my life.

I was well on my journey in finding God when I started listening to Third Day at work. My boss listens to them intermixed with the rest of the music on his iPod. I first tuned in and heard the voice, and then started listening to the lyrics. Good music. Good message. I started feeling comfortable hearing His Word.

And then I started finding Christian blogs to read. Exposure therapy works. When I found Brody Harper, I found him to be 'your average run of the mill kinda guy' who had values and talked about things that meant something to the world. Although completely different from me and my background, he was someone I could relate too. He was another example of someone who I felt lived their life living God's Word. He wasn't preachy or pushy or in your (my) face.

I also read Anne Jackson, and Shaun Groves. Like my boss, these people I liked initially in spite of their being Christian, who ultimately I realized I like because they're Christian. And then I eventually found Pete Wilson. Pretty cool.

Would You?

MercyMe have put out a plea to help James Christopher Allums find a bone marrow donor. He has a disease called Fanconi Anemia…which basically means his body doesn't produce enough bone marrow.I've wanted to register for many years, and have asked several times at the blood center, how I get listed on the bone marrow donor list. It's always seemed complicated. I called the Vegas office several times and never got any information mailed to me.

One would think (I would think) that they'd make it EASY for people to be tested and added to the donor list. The test is a simple cheek swab…no needles, just a cheek swab! So I've gone to this website and read more information and have emailed to have the kit sent to me. I really hope that I get the kit.

If you mention in the email that you're being tested in honor of James Christopher Allumns, the test should/could be free (for 2 days they say, instead of $65) but I'd pay the $65 even if it weren't free. Make it easy for me! For as important as this is to me, I can't for the life of me tell anyone why I've not done it yet.
To use MercyMe's text

"To order your free testing kit, go HERE

Remember…it’s free for 2 more days. After that, it’s $65. Don’t let the money stop you from being tested if you don’t get to it in the next 2 days, but don’t miss out on this opportunity to bless and maybe even SAVE a life!!!!

Remember to specify that you are testing in honor of James Christopher Allums."

Per the DKMS website, "You will need to confirm that you understand your commitment and are eligible. And, you will need to provide your mailing address and telephone number."

I've been donating platelets for many years now (8? 9? at least nine ... maybe 10?) If not for James Christopher do it for you.

Friday's Favorite

Here's a quote I'm sure you've heard before:

Some people come into our lives and quickly go.
Others stay awhile, make footprints on our
hearts and we are never, ever the same.

and to this list I want to add the following people who have all touched my life. Some have come and gone, others are here still with me. I'm deliberately leaving family I was born with/into off the list, although they're remarkable) :

1. Mark
2. Chuck
3. Aunt Dottie (Alma Dorothy - who's name means nourishing soul and gift from God)
   
4. Sheila (Until Sheila, I didn't remember what it was to have a girlfriend)
   
5. Romy (who sent me a card with the coolest picture of her)
6. Victoria (aka Toria)
7. Risa Scranton (bestest friend for years, even after I left Albany)
   
8. Lynne McCoy (I wonder if I could restore this friendship?)
   
9. Rick (glad we've connected again)
   
10. Danny (Goof)
    
11. Stoney (many reasons)
    
12. Joseph (innumerable reasons)
13. Chicken Joe (happy to not have him a part of my life now, but he did shape me)_
    
14. Neil Nordmann (he spelt his name ei - he was my first best guy friend)
15. Casey Wimmer (after so many years since college, still a very dear friend)
    
16. Nancy J. Darnell (God made us friends, love made us sisters)
    
17. Diana Tanner aka Ditto
    
18. Marcia Ianacone (could contact her again)
    

The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him with his friendship. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

and in writing this list, I got to Chuck and tears welled in my eyes. I am never the same. Each of these people, and so many countless others, who do count, shaped who I am.

Positive Post Tuesday

Thanks to Brody I'm on track for today's post.

My mom is visiting us for the holiday. She arrived after a full day drive on Sunday and a short drive yesterday morning. The weather is iffy for driving, we're getting SNOW!

My mom is wonderful. She knows what a messy person I am, organized in so many ways but a disorganized mess in so many others. We're getting a new kitchen at the end of January, so Mom's going to help me go through our cabinets and thin by HALF (that's my goal) all the stuff we have and don't need and/or use.

I posted a "Thank You" about my mom last month, so she gets double billing for Positive Post Tuesday.

Sunday Stuff

My week of randomness:

• My sister arrived on Tuesday for a week visit. Of sorts. Her husband had a conference at Squaw Valley for the week. Then they were going over to Chico to visit the Sierra Nevada Brewery. But the roads had chain requirements so they're here a day early.
• It SNOWED this weekend. Dusted. a little. More is better. Ski season is waiting.
• Got news this week about "big changes" ahead for my job. Good news is I didn't totally flip out and cry myself crazy. This is always a good thing. God Bless St John's Wort.
• Meant to donate platelets on Saturday, but had scheduled myself for whole blood not platelets (user error) so I rescheduled.
  
• We went out to lunch on Saturday with Sheila and Hilly ... last minute invited Danny to join us and he and his wife Stephani actually showed. Very exciting fun times. Steph connected me to the next point...
  
• Reconnected with an old climbing friend, Rick. Would make me quite happy to be able to post 'went climbing with Rick this weekend' type posts. Most happy indeed. We'll see.
• Climbed in the gym with Danny on Sunday, my finger joints are not happy with me. Aging. Such is life.
• Got the tree today - sister's husband and my nephew Hans (age 23) got it in the stand and put all the lights on - then my Alison actually helped Hans decorate it - and I helped. This is the first year in forever that it wasn't just me, which was rather nice.
• Was emailing a friend about a scrpiture that I didn't know the reference I'd said: He knew me before [I even was] but then another friend informed me of the scripture, and I was surprised how close I was: Jeremiah 1:5 "...I knew you, before you were born ... " Huh - I was pretty darned close.
  

Yeah, so that about wraps up my week in review.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

It's Sarah's birthday today, go say

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to her!

Pet Peeves on web pages

Things that drives me nuts:

• Having to fill out an entire form again because I missed one required field. (or my password didn't match)
• Clicking on "see larger image" and a new window opens up, with the same sized image I was previously viewing.

I'm sure there are more. But this is just a quickie.