May my words and thoughts please you. LORD, you are my Rock—the one who rescues me.
Psalm 19:14 (Easy-to-Read Version)
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May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14 (New Living Translation)
Our Family Christmas
Opening Gifts
Part 3
Gloria giving Zachary his gift.
Jenna had David’s name
Jana receiving a gift from Diana
I liked the way Jared gave his gift to Diana. It was kind of like handing off a baton in a relay race.
Josh had Jenna’s name
David giving a gift to Josh
Nathan receiving a gift from Jana.
Jordan is the oldest of our single Pennsylvania grandchildren. His gift was from Ian.
The end of the gift exchange.
I have one more set of pictures from December 26 to add tomorrow night.
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Some have asked how I am doing.
I am seeing gradual improvement each day, but am still limited to about three hours in my office chair each day due to the whip lash. A weekly session with my fabulous massage therapist is helping relieve muscle pain.
Since it is more comfortable in my La-Z-Boy, I find things to do in my office from that location. I just received a new mailing list of about 300 names (new person coming on staff), and that is something I can do because I have access to my office computer via wireless.
Today I received the date for my EEG and test on my carotid arteries – January 16 – and will also receive a heart monitor that day to wear for twenty-four hours. This will all be done at the Health Campus near Lancaster.
Thanks for caring and praying.
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The Lord will give power to his people. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Psalm 29:11 (GOD’S WORD Translation)
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The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.
Psalm 29:11 (Amplified Bible)
Opening Christmas Presents
Our Family Christmas – Part 2
Jesse receiving his gift from Nathan
The unmarried grandchildren exchange names, and when giving out gifts, the youngest always receives the first gift.
Just what he wanted – Legos
Waiting for Jared to come to the gift-receiving-position.
Jared looks pleased with Jordan’s choice.
Zachary giving a gift to Ian.
The first box held a mixture of candy
Another pleased recipient
This is actually how Jesse gave Gloria her gift – by leaning in from a distance.
Do you think she is pleased?
A Webkinz horse.
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More tomorrow night
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Be willing to accept those who still have doubts about what believers can do. And don’t argue with them about their different ideas.
Romans 14:1 (Easy-to-Read Version)
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Welcome people who are weak in faith, but don’t get into an argument over differences of opinion.
Romans 14:1 (GOD’S WORD Translation)
Our Family Christmas
Monday, December 26
Part 1
Josh with his newly purchased Jeep Cherokee.
Diana stayed overnight (as well as Jana) after Cerwin’s family was here the night before. Both girls were helpful in setting up for our family lunch on Monday. Jana took this photo – the reason she is not pictured.
Our girls – Chris, Kristen, Deb, and Abby prepared the entire, delicious meal.
Time to eat
We had some girls with interesting footwear. You will have to wait until tomorrow night to see whose feet these belong to.
The meal was delicious and the noise and laughter were fabulous.
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Today (Wednesday) was an especially good day. We had to deal with only one detail concerning the accident, then I was able to spend the entire afternoon in the office. That felt good!
Cerwin and I are grateful for your encouraging words. It is a blessing to have loyal friends and prayer partners.
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Doctor Visit Yesterday
After assessing my story, checking my yearly blood tests and exam notes (as recent as November), and looking at the results from yesterday’s exam, the doctor said he is pretty sure that my ‘slow fade out’ before the accident was not a problem with sugar level, but more possibly a heart, blood, or parathyroid problem.
Because many of you and we were praying that God would give the doctor wisdom – we feel good about the direction in which he suggested we move.
First, more blood was drawn – which gave me a new black and blue spot. 
The nurse felt so bad about that. We were both surprised, as she hit the vein quickly and it was pain-free on my end. I assured her that it will just match the rest of my body.
Next step: I will be scheduled for an EEG, tests on my carotid arteries, parathyroids, and I will have to carry a heart monitor for twenty-four hours.
Also, Cerwin has a new job as chauffeur because I am not supposed to drive until the tests are finished.
We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
Romans 8:28 (Amplified Bible)
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This is comforting to KNOW as I travel through this unsettling time in my life.
So Much to Update
We received word today that our trusty little CRV was totaled. The good news is that we were pleased with the amount of money the insurance company is giving us for a replacement vehicle.
While I rested, especially Wednesday afternoon through Friday, Cerwin surfed the internet for a suitable replacement, and settled on this Toyota Rav4. The salesman promised to hold it for us until we received the report about our car.
When I went along to look at it on Saturday, the salesman gave me a Christmas gift – not even knowing for sure that we would buy a car.
Inside was this nice set of steak knives.
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I have two more Christmas get-togethers to post – one from yesterday and another from tonight. I also had my initial doctor visit this afternoon. I’ll tell you about it in the morning.
This black and blue body needs to take a pain pill and go to bed.
I Appreciate Your Continued Prayers
It has been an unsettling weekend and Christmas holiday, as I talked my way through the accident with Cerwin and our children, and coming to terms with the fact that I had or was in the process of passing out as I approached the stop sign.
At first I thought I had just been careless, and wasn’t paying attention to driving, but as I shared what happened just before the crash and that I felt like I was in a fog or daze and not able to made a decision about stopping, looking, and moving forward at the stop sign, it started coming to me that I had passed out about the time I approached the stop sign.
I remember looking right (with a rather foggy brain) and then the crash. I told everyone from the beginning that I don’t remember looking left.
I never had this happen to me – even when I wasn’t driving – so will need to find out from a doctor if it was something to do with sugar level – maybe as simple as not having a good breakfast – or was it from something else.
I appreciate your continued prayers. It would have been easier to have just been careless, because now it will probably mean a lot of medical tests. 
