For the want of a nail...

Chutt Chutt has gone to the vet again this morning. They are keeping her this time, and removing the offending toenail. The swelling isn't going down, and is creeping up her leg. Poor baby. It was SO hard to hand her over. She's so tiny and trusting. But, sometimes to save a life you have to do hard things.

I have an online acquaintance whose mother is in the hospital, at death's door. After several years of unmanaged diabetes, they had to remove her leg above the knee. That would be bad enough if it were the only thing. But this woman also has had several cardiac arrests and major organ shut-downs during the process. She's not saved, and her negative attitude profoundly affects those around her. She's hurt her family over and over to the point that her grandchildren want nothing to do with her. She's alone now, her family has all moved out of state. Her ex-husband has been kind enough to deal with some emergency issues for her while she is incapacitated. My heart breaks for this woman, and I pray for her often during the day. There, but for the grace of God, go I.

On a more "up" note, take a look at my Aerogarden! It's only been two weeks since the last photo, and look at these little plants go! I can't even begin to tell you how exciting it is to see things growing and not dying under my care!

The car, on the other hand, is not doing so well. We're having fuel injector issues (I think, but I'm not a mechanic, so that's just my best guess) and looking at more major repairs. On this particular car, to get to the fuel injectors, you have to disassemble the gas tank. We've done this once before and it cost us over $1000. Let's hope that tax refunds are running fast this year!

We stayed home from church this week, but hubby listened in on the web simulcast. He took notes and we'll discuss it, but I can tell from the notes he took that our pastor is seriously misled. There will be a Q&A during the Wednesday night service, but I don't know that we will be able to make it. It wouldn't matter anyway, really. I've heard this teaching before and it is heretical and insidious. There's no Q my pastor could A to my satisfaction that this particular teaching is Biblical.

Tomorrow is my birthday. I'd like it to be my last birthday, the one I never age from, like Bob Hope did. But, with kids you can't do that. Not only do they keep getting older, but their birthday is such a positive, happy thing that they don't want to deprive you of the joy they feel! Why am I not feelin' the joy??

I see a bad moon rising

There's a potential for all kinds of trouble on the way. But I'm not a pessimist. (HA!)

Our pastor's message this week will be on the Pre-Adamic race. I'm so thankful he told us beforehand so hubby and I could research it. We will be staying home and spending that service time in prayer. We strongly believe that teaching is not just divisive and wrong, but heretical, and it could lead to our leaving the church. The only church we've found anywhere close that teaches the Bible. Sad statement coming from the buckle of the "Bible Belt."

Chutt Chutt's toenail bed is becoming infected. I have an appointment to take her to the vet.

We're under a winter storm warning for snow and ice, which makes people here drive like lunatics. They drive like lunatics anyway, but it snows so seldom that they have NO idea how to deal with snow and ice. There are also no scrapers or sanders for the roads so it's just every SUV for himself.

Hubby was supposed to attend a special event next week in Atlanta, but while waffling about going, it sold out! Now he has to scramble to try to get tickets. Procrastination bad. He's also taught our oldest daughter the finer points of procrastination, and she puts off every distasteful job she has until the last possible moment. She does get the done, but it's always a time squeeze, which puts her under pressure that she thinks comes from me! She also has a tendency to be short with her siblings, making her the only impatient procrastinator in my acquaintance!

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Post-vet update:

Sure enough, her toenail bed was infected. The vet gave us prednisone, a steroid for the swelling and pain; baytril, an antibiotic; and benebac, a preparation of beneficial intestinal bacteria which will be killed off by the antibiotic. Poor thing is so tired. she's sleeping a lot and very heavily this afternoon. I've caught myself looking for the rise and fall of her tummy to make sure she's just sleeping. I'll also be keeping an eye on her food and water intake. The prednisone is supposed to improve her appetite, but as much as she is sleeping I don't want her to skip food for dreams!

Rats! What are these people thinking?

For my teenaged son to attend a mission trip with the church this summer, attendance at spring church camp is required. From the research I've done, (talking to people, not published research papers) church camp is the #2 place to get lots of sexual experience. I've always felt that way, and the church camp I went to certainly held fast to the rule.

Add to that the location of this year's camp and date: Spring Break at Daytona.

Great. Lots of booze and "fast" college kids in less-than-modest clothing.

Unless there's one-chaperone-per-kid hanging on like a bodyguard to Jenna Bush, ain't no way my son will be going.

But I gotta wonder, what are these people thinking?

Wait a minute. Jesus was RICH?

Every week my pastor says something. Some little off-hand, throw away comment, that totally rocks my theology. This week's comment:

"Jesus had the most successful, wealthy ministry those days. That's why He needed a treasurer, to take care of the huge sums of money being handled. That's why they didn't tear his robe at crucifixion, as was their practice, because it was expensive - the guy wore designer robes!"

Okay, this is just outside my Jesus paradigm. I'm not saying it's not true, but it just doesn't fit with my perception of who Jesus was. I know he had a treasurer, Judas, so His ministry must have had some financial goings on. And I know lots were cast for his robe, it wasn't torn, which fulfilled an Old Testament prophecy. But it would surprise me very much to discover that Jesus had accumulated this world's wealth. And it would shock me no end to learn that He chose to wear "designer robes," that is, to make a display of his worldly riches before others. It just doesn't seem to fit with His message.

He is, of course, worthy of all this world's riches.

Lord, You are more precious than silver;

Lord, You are more costly than gold;

Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds;

And nothing I desire compares with You.

I believe this song and sing it both at church and home. But that He would humble Himself by leaving his heavenly throne, be born of woman, wrapped in swaddling clothes and raised as the son of a carpenter, just to turn around and buy "designer duds"? Hm. Excuse me while I do some research...