So much for the bike riding!

Just about the time we settle into a routine, the weather bottoms out, and all hope of riding my bike comes to an end.  I guess I shouldn't complain about 20's and 30's at night, 40's during the day with a little rain the last few days.  In comparison to Lake Zurich, this is heaven!  I will get back to it when I can and not fuss over what I can't change.

Speaking of change, I am helpless to change most things, but fortunately for us, God can change anything!  Below is a Facebook post I put up last week

Another God intervention today: we left my BFF (Audrey-78 yoa)

6 weeks ago. Last week I finally got around to sending her a long letter with pictures. It arrived TODAY ...on the day she received some very depressing medical diagnosis. Just when she really needed to be uplifted, I was there for her ! Still, she could use prayer.....for her salvation...complete turnaround of a diagnosis that she is going to remain "profoundly deaf" permanently and (selfishly) for me as this is making it sooooo hard for me to be away from her. Thanks prayer warriors!

5 days later this response was posted by Audrey's daughter Michelle (shown here with her son Nate (also a believer)

:

Thank you for your prayers. Praise to God that the procedure they did yesterday

(initially given about a 10% chance of success in her case) has restored much of

mom's hearing. She had almost immediate improvement after the steroid injections

directly into both ears. So, while she thought she was to be permanently profoundly

deaf, that wasn't God's plan Your kind words and support are, as always, so

appreciated and here's praying that she accepts the truth that this against-the-odds 

improvement was truly a God-thing!


In my conversation with Audrey after the successful procedure I found her MUCH

more open to considering that this was the Lord's intervention, and she was

EXTRAORDINARILY grateful for all the prayers sent up for her.  


Follow-up to last weeks God Intervention:


Bill and I did locate Pastor Cheryl Adamson at Palmetto Missionary Baptist Church


 http://palmettomissionarybaptistchurch.com/staff/


and attended there last Sunday.  I can assure you our search for a local 

church is over!  NOW we know why God sent us.  We were so warmly 

welcomed and Pastor Adamson's preaching so meaningful!!!  And the music!  Lovely 

:-)  We felt so much at home.


We missed church two weeks ago, as we had to drive to Charlotte for me to see my 

shoulder doc. 4 hour drive, and the night before my appointment, 2 inches of snow 

fell.  In Charlotte, that means the sky is falling and their whole world shuts down. 

But, it was NOT a wasted trip as we had a wonderful evening with my cousin and 

mutual friends:

More fun could not be had when Mo is part of the mix!

We returned home and rescheduled my doc appt.  Gives us an excuse to go back 

next Sunday (AFTER church of course).

while cruising around Charleston this week I spotted the most encouraging thing:

Hold onto HOPE!

This is what I spent my time doing yesterday (interspersed between loads of laundry)!

Not the best quality, sorry.  May be my way of getting that new telephoto lens:-)

And before I forget again :-(  Two weeks ago, on Thursday, Bill and I returned from 

our 4 days off.  As usual, I immediately check on all of  our critters.  I note that I 

cannot see the Congo Eel

in the aquarium tank... This does not alarm me, as he is very good at hiding, but, 

when I still cannot see him the next day, I sought out my Ranger Sam (who had just 

returned from a few days off).

  

Sam mumbles "that's funny, I don't remember seeing him on Wednesday" 

and joins me by the tank.  Knowing (at that time) more than me about this Eel.  Sam 

looks down at the ground, pulls a display away from the wall, and exposes our 

wayfarer.  The Congo Eel is on the floor, half behind the cabinet holding the tank 5 

feet in the air.  At best he was "out" 2 days, at worst 3.  When he was returned to the 

tank (yes, still alive) he seemed stunned, and did not eat that day, but seems to be 

back to normal.  Thru this process I learned many things:

1)  Our Congo Eel is not a Siren (as we had been told)....our Congo Eel has 4 feet, 

Sirens only 2.


2)  The Refuge has not been feeding him properly.  He should not be eating Pinkies 

as his sole source of food. 


3)  Congo Eels are escape artists (probably went out looking for food).


4)  Sam was right to go get gloves with which to pick him up....their skin is quite 

toxic.


5)  Their skin is also very sensitive.  If scratched, it can easily become infected.  A 

blogger I began following as a result of this incident, suggests we take him to a vet 

for a check-up and possible infusion of antibiotics (when you know what freezes 

over):-)  I doubt the government will invest that kind of money into an Eel.




So, you have now seen the height of Waccamaw drama.  The case of the missing 

Congo Eel.


Entering a busy time with trips to Jasper, GA (near Atlanta) to visit our friend Lydia 

AND that second trip to Charlotte.  Pray it does not snow again.  Thanks!