My leukemia's back.

[donrae]

Diva, thanks for sharing about your anxiety issues. That's one of those things that's hard to bring up, and gets disregarded a lot.

I do think anxiety could play some part, but mostly my issues are physical. There's no "trigger", it's a constant thing. Of course, not being able to breathe in itself causes some anxiety, then you're on that roller coaster.....I was thinking about hitting the Ativan just to keep myself sane when I felt I could not do anything. But, I seem to be regaining some function. I think maybe it was more due to the flu than I'd realized. They told me at the ER "Take the Tamiflu, you'll be better in about 4-5 days". Well, over a week later and I felt worse---that was scary. Didn't connect it to the flu. And maybe it wasn't, but I'm some what better now. Able to walk out to the van and not need to recover. Went into work yesterday and today. Granted, work consists of sitting at a desk and running a computer, but I did it.


Blooie, I love that picture! I saw the name Diane and just thought it was yours.....what an amazing photographer she is.

Sitting in church today listening to the message, what I got is basically I need to connect more with my boys, and develop some relationships in our new church. It's a larger church, and they freely admit they have not done well with fellowship/connections. The goal for the church this year is starting small groups. We're signed up and should get started I think this month. I've enjoyed most of our small groups in the past, and feel like it would be a good thing for us.

Has anyone's church done something like a Guess Who is Coming to Dinner? My sister's church does it and they really enjoy it. I think it's once a quarter. You sign up to be a host or a guest or either, and someone goes through and matches folks up to have dinner together, trying to mix age groups, etc so folks get to know other members they may not know so well. I've thought about offering to facilitate this at our church, but not right now, I need to have more energy. Just wondering what you all think of the idea overall.

 

[lazy gardener]

Diva, thanks for sharing about your anxiety issues. That's one of those things that's hard to bring up, and gets disregarded a lot.

I do think anxiety could play some part, but mostly my issues are physical. There's no "trigger", it's a constant thing. Of course, not being able to breathe in itself causes some anxiety, then you're on that roller coaster.....I was thinking about hitting the Ativan just to keep myself sane when I felt I could not do anything. But, I seem to be regaining some function. I think maybe it was more due to the flu than I'd realized. They told me at the ER "Take the Tamiflu, you'll be better in about 4-5 days". Well, over a week later and I felt worse---that was scary. Didn't connect it to the flu. And maybe it wasn't, but I'm some what better now. Able to walk out to the van and not need to recover. Went into work yesterday and today. Granted, work consists of sitting at a desk and running a computer, but I did it.


Blooie, I love that picture! I saw the name Diane and just thought it was yours.....what an amazing photographer she is.

Sitting in church today listening to the message, what I got is basically I need to connect more with my boys, and develop some relationships in our new church. It's a larger church, and they freely admit they have not done well with fellowship/connections. The goal for the church this year is starting small groups. We're signed up and should get started I think this month. I've enjoyed most of our small groups in the past, and feel like it would be a good thing for us.

Has anyone's church done something like a Guess Who is Coming to Dinner? My sister's church does it and they really enjoy it. I think it's once a quarter. You sign up to be a host or a guest or either, and someone goes through and matches folks up to have dinner together, trying to mix age groups, etc so folks get to know other members they may not know so well. I've thought about offering to facilitate this at our church, but not right now, I need to have more energy. Just wondering what you all think of the idea overall.

Rachel, we are a church made up of small groups. Our count is down a bit now, but at one time we had 40 small groups that were functioning. I absolutely love small groups. Hubby and I have not been in one since last spring. Hoping to get re-established within the next month. It's an incredible way to make connections and very close bonds with people. Hubby and I have purposefully moved from one small group to an other over the years, simply to make more connections with more people. I can look around me on a Sunday morning and see dozens of people who I've been blessed to share a very close fond of fellowship with. And even though we may not still be connected with those people through a current small group, that love/family/friendship is still there.

We've also done the fellowship dinners. I've been a facilitator in the past. Unfortunately, this has fallen by the way side due to the increased focus on the small groups. But I loved the way this program worked. Again, it was a nice way to make lasting connections with people who you otherwise might not get to know. I collected all the names. The dinners were set up monthly, with a plan for 6 - 8 people to attend each one, depending on how much space the host had available. I liked doing groups of 8, because it made the meal easier to plan with each person/couple bringing a part of the meal, so all the host had to do was provide the main course. The names would go into a hat. Each name would be drawn, and placed with a host until all of the guests/hosts were matched up. There were also some folks who offered to be "alternates" (tough job, but some one has to do it!) It was then up to the host to contact her guests, and set up the meal time, and the menu, and each guest would bring part of the meal. If the guest couldn't participate on a given night, it was up to the host or the guest to call an alternate, or find some one else to stand in. Sometimes, due to schedules, several groups would combine, or even guests would swap between groups to accommodate schedules. These meals were always a blast. Some times we would play silly games, sometimes a bit more cut throat, often share personal testimonies, or "how I met my husband" stories.

 

[donrae]

Rachel, we are a church made up of small groups. Our count is down a bit now, but at one time we had 40 small groups that were functioning. I absolutely love small groups. Hubby and I have not been in one since last spring. Hoping to get re-established within the next month. It's an incredible way to make connections and very close bonds with people. Hubby and I have purposefully moved from one small group to an other over the years, simply to make more connections with more people. I can look around me on a Sunday morning and see dozens of people who I've been blessed to share a very close fond of fellowship with. And even though we may not still be connected with those people through a current small group, that love/family/friendship is still there.

We've also done the fellowship dinners. I've been a facilitator in the past. Unfortunately, this has fallen by the way side due to the increased focus on the small groups. But I loved the way this program worked. Again, it was a nice way to make lasting connections with people who you otherwise might not get to know. I collected all the names. The dinners were set up monthly, with a plan for 6 - 8 people to attend each one, depending on how much space the host had available. I liked doing groups of 8, because it made the meal easier to plan with each person/couple bringing a part of the meal, so all the host had to do was provide the main course. The names would go into a hat. Each name would be drawn, and placed with a host until all of the guests/hosts were matched up. There were also some folks who offered to be "alternates" (tough job, but some one has to do it!) It was then up to the host to contact her guests, and set up the meal time, and the menu, and each guest would bring part of the meal. If the guest couldn't participate on a given night, it was up to the host or the guest to call an alternate, or find some one else to stand in. Sometimes, due to schedules, several groups would combine, or even guests would swap between groups to accommodate schedules. These meals were always a blast. Some times we would play silly games, sometimes a bit more cut throat, often share personal testimonies, or "how I met my husband" stories.

So your groups were just random drawn from a hat? That sounds much easier than what my sister does. She actually goes through and makes a job out of matching folks. I think I like your way better

.

I do think it would be a great way to have folks get to know each other. And random might be just the ticket. I know some groups do all out meals, some just order pizza or Subway. It's more about the fellowship than the food. I can't wait until we move and have a house where we would be able to host a small group or dinner.
I like the idea of moving from one group to another. I'd not thought about that, but it could be a nice way to get to know more folks over time. Thanks, gives me things to think about.

 

[lazy gardener]

Yep, the groups were random. I'd sometimes toss the names back in the hat if the same names kept coming up together, but it worked pretty well. If you do it, some things to consider: push real hard to be sure the single folks feel welcome. Often people are very willing to be a guest, but reluctant to host. Lots of people have the attitude that "my house is not good enough, big enough, clean enough, I don't have matching plates/silverware, my kitchen/dining room is too small. I'm too busy. I'm not a good cook, and on and on and on the excuses go. There was always the option of the host doing her hosting at church if she/he didn't want to do it at home. And the host chooses the menu, so ordering pizza, or some other simple meal would work well, in that case, have someone provide dessert, and everyone chip in to cover the cost of the pizza/drinks. It's really about fellowship, and getting out side of the comfort zone to interact on a more personal level with folks you perhaps don't know so well, yet! Hospitality is becoming a lost art, and we are actually instructed to provide hospitality!!! Really, after hearing all of the excuses for not hosting a meal, I find most of them to be pretty laughable, based on the many options available for doing so.

 

[donrae]

Yep, the groups were random. I'd sometimes toss the names back in the hat if the same names kept coming up together, but it worked pretty well. If you do it, some things to consider: push real hard to be sure the single folks feel welcome. Often people are very willing to be a guest, but reluctant to host. Lots of people have the attitude that "my house is not good enough, big enough, clean enough, I don't have matching plates/silverware, my kitchen/dining room is too small. I'm too busy. I'm not a good cook, and on and on and on the excuses go. There was always the option of the host doing her hosting at church if she/he didn't want to do it at home. And the host chooses the menu, so ordering pizza, or some other simple meal would work well, in that case, have someone provide dessert, and everyone chip in to cover the cost of the pizza/drinks. It's really about fellowship, and getting out side of the comfort zone to interact on a more personal level with folks you perhaps don't know so well, yet! Hospitality is becoming a lost art, and we are actually instructed to provide hospitality!!! Really, after hearing all of the excuses for not hosting a meal, I find most of them to be pretty laughable, based on the many options available for doing so.

I need to print this out, blow it up and post it on my wall.

 

[donrae]

Well, we had an unexpected twist to the day

Honey was leaving a patient's house and, due to icy conditions on a steep driveway, slid his truck into a tree. Had to be towed back to town, the truck is pretty messed up. Honey is fine, far as we can tell. Both Urgent Cares in town closed early due to weather. We went to the ED---they literally had no waiting room available. The tech who does the drug screening for the workman's comp claim lives 30 miles away and couldn't make it in tonight anyway, so we basically bailed. He had no complaints except a mild headache, but did not hit his head. I think it was from not eating. He's taken ibuprofen and eaten and is feeling better.

I sure like that truck, I hope it can be fixed. We'll see what the body shop says tomorrow.

 

[FridayYet]

Oh no! Sorry about the truck and glad to hear he doesn't seem to be injured and is feeling better.

there's not too much damage to the truck.

 

[N F C]

Rachel, glad to hear your DH is ok from the truck accident. Hope the truck can be repaired.

Also...CONGRATULATIONS on your shiny new Educator badge!

 

[sourland]

Rachel, glad that he is okay.

 

[donrae]

He seems fine this morning. A little too eager to get back to work, IMO. He doesn't realize we live in a town where snow shuts everything down. And my van, although it has studs, is not a 4 wheel drive snow vehicle. He's chomping at the bit to get to the Urgent Care when they open. I told him he needs to wait and call first, be sure they're even going to be open today. They closed early last night and it snowed more, no need to drive clear across town just for a closed shop.

So, snow day for the Locusts today. They all stayed up late last night, so they're snoozing this morning. I think I'm going to make bacon and French toast for breakfast. They can have it cold