Ella Bunting Open Arms
Copyright August 2015
volume 8
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“The world will not be destroyed by
those who do evil; but by those who
watch them without doing a thing.”
~Albert Einstein~
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My apologies for the lack of
newsletters the past couple of
months. For those who don’t already
know, I had a nasty fall that resulted
in two broken ribs, broken toes and
multiple other injures that I am still
fighting through.
I like to tell people that the flight got
mixed reviews…The takeoff went
well….the land…not so much.
I am getting there but at a much
slower pace than I hoped for.
I want to thank everyone for all of
their prayers, cards and kind healing
thoughts and acts on my behalf.
==========================
*Catch up news:
Our Prayer Shawl Ministry has
been a wonderful and hopefully
ongoing success and very
gratefully received by those
who have reaped the benefits.
Thank you to all of our faithful
crocheters and knitters, as well
as everyone who has
contributed yarn.
Anyone who wants to
contribute yarn to the ministry
or to make prayer shawls,
please call the church office @
336-4764114 or Leslie @: 336474-6201.
**Heads up on Annual Retreat:
This year’s retreat is planned
for Saturday, October 17, 2015.
We are looking for people who
can help with the retreat in any
capacity. Someone from the
group will be contacting those
who have helped out in the past
to ask them to help out again
this year.
The Retreat is a full day, free
event for those dealing with
cancer and an opportunity to be
pampered and share some fun
with other cancer fighters and
their immediate caregiver.
Look for more detailed
information in our September
newsletter and please call the
church @ 476-4114 between 9 &
1, M-F to get register. Also
anyone wanting the Look Good
Feel Better program done that
day, needs to get that
information listed with our new
church secretary by September
15th, so that the make-up kits
can be ordered in time for the
event.
=========================
Our sympathies go out to the
family of Betty Walker. Betty
was a longtime group member
and simply a cheerful and lovely
lady. The Lord called Betty
home this past weekend.
She will be greatly missed by
family and friends.
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WORDS TO LIVE BY
Over the past six months, our
youngest son, Stephen, and I
have shared a common bond
that we would have gladly
avoided: Back problems.
Stephen started our miniature
parade of; hospital emergency
rooms, hospital stays, shots,
multiple doctors weighing in,
(each with a different opinion),
severe, debilitating back pain,
ongoing pain medication, and
so forth.
You get the picture. You don’t?
Well, maybe you are one of the
lucky ones who have never
experienced screaming back
pain that just won’t quit.
This type if pain, I am long
persuaded, comes straight from
the devil’s workshop.
Stephen would be the first to
agree from my origination
theory as he really doesn’t
know what happened to throw
is back out this time.
But, out it was: 2 ruptured discs
with nerve impingement.
I followed along with the two
broken ribs, one of which was
“loose?’ and sort of aiming
towards the lungs. Oh, Yippee
Skippee. My crash landing off
the top step and onto the
concrete below, has left me
down and out of the game for
the past few months.
We live in a world full of
obstacles. Things that get in the
way and alter our best laid
plans.
Stuff happens!
And gravity is a real bear,
especially when we slam into an
unmovable force unexpectedly.
I was talking to Stephen the
other day. He was relating his
most recent medical encounters
on his back injury. “Three
doctors are telling me three
different things. And of course
their theory is the only right
theory,” he told me.
He really never asked for my
advice as I remember now.
But mothers don’t wait to be
asked or else we would never
get a chance to talk. “One foot
in front of the other,” I heard
myself tell him absentmindedly.
“You know,” he said, “I used to
think that was just something
people say. That whole one foot
in front of the other thing. But it
actually works.”
“What?”
“I’m just saying, you’ve been
telling me that for years and it
actually works,” he said.
I felt my eyes grow misty. Good
heavens…he heard me. He
actually was listening. Okay,
maybe not all of the time but
enough. He got the important
stuff. What else might he have
heard me say over the years?
“Of course it works,” I said, on
the shaking edge of bragging.
Then the little voice inside of
me, you all know the one…it’s
the one that warns us to back
away from the edge of some
cliff.
I am not 100% sure but I may
have heard a slight giggle from
the other end of the telephone
line.
I was still reveling in my recent
success. Okay so it wasn’t a
miracle on the scale of the
parting of the Red Sea or
healing the blind…but it was a
victory and I was clinging onto
it like a dog with the last
Milkbone in the box.
I often wonder if God doesn’t
feel like that sometimes. With all
He has given and continues to
give His children, do we really
spend enough time telling Him,
that was really great advice or
thank you for getting me
through this or that?
In a world that relentlessly
pushes to have God’s name and
everything connected to Him
removed from existence and
reference and yet a quick to
blame Him for any and all of
society’s ills, do we remember
to be thankful as God’s
children?
I’m not sure about anyone else
but I am trying to do better with
that one, with God’s help…one
day at a time….one foot in front
of the other.
May God always watch over you
and yours. For all that God has
given may we be truly thankful.
Love and Prayers,
John, Michele & Leslie
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