Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
July & August in Florida 2019 Summary
MEDICAL TESTING - Good News
In follow-up to a previous report indicating "Suspicious abnormalities" with specific locations and dimensions... a new mammogram and ultrasound in Florida with magnification yielded a July 2nd call from surgeon confirming no cancer recurrence - PTL!
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Shared @ Friends Community Church, OrlandoIt was my privilege to share a PowerPoint with many photos and details of my educational missions work and thank this church for their prayer and financial partnership. Of course I focused on my Philippines assignment as School Librarian at Faith International Academy.
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Storage Unit Pruning...HUGE TaskMy furniture, kitchen appliances, cookware, dishes, etc. found new homes before I left for the foreign mission field. Boxed contents of multiple file cabinets and containers of puppets went into a storage unit.Thanks, Marsha, for dealing with this situation when I lost the race against the clock before leaving for Cameroon.
In transition to retirement and moving to Kentucky, it has been a humongous task to deal with books, files, visuals, props...remaining from more than four decades of children's ministry leadership, more than three decades of youth services librarianship, many years tax returns' supporting materials plus more. I had a number of offers of help, but felt a need to make the decision on various papers and folders myself. I was glad to have a minister take five boxes to share, gave several boxes of puppets and resources to my cousin's wife - principal of a Christian School, Marsha passed several boxes to the new children's minister at her church. I cherish being able to pass on resources to where they can have new life and benefit.
With a hectic schedule going in many directions, I did not get my lifetime collection of files completely cleared when hurricane Dorian was headed for the Orlando area nor have room in my car to take all to Kentucky I wanted to keep, was certainly NOT confident about pulling even a small U-haul. I concluded that January or February might be a good time to return to Florida for the remainder of my boxes + wooden ventriloquist puppets. Thank You, Jim and Yvonne, for letting David, Dorothy, and Grandma Gracie stay at your residence for years.
AARP Smart Driver Online Coursehttps://www.aarpdriversafety.org/?cmp=EMC-DSM-TRG-DSP-ADS-CC17
An annoying challenge in my re-entry to life in the U.S. after six years in Cameroon and the Philippines with no car was getting back in the hang of driving. My embarrassing lack of confidence with driving was increased by jet lag ("temporary sleep problem that can affect anyone who quickly travels across multiple time zones" - Mayo Clinic), sleep deprivation from multiple tasks with wrapping up things at my Filipino home and the library; worsening glaucoma; tiredness and brain fog from sleep disorder (upper respiratory resistance syndrome). I felt like a zombie at times.
A friend's eye doctor told me my sight was well able for driving. Several individuals taking me practice driving was much appreciated. I was grateful for the opportunity to take this four-hour Smart Driver online course via AARP. Sure enough, when I did purchase a car, having completed this course lowered my auto insurance.
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Car Purchase
What to buy? I concluded that since I was well served by a Honda CR-V in the past (only new car I ever purchased and I drove it for 10 years), that would likely be a good choice again. I bought a dark gray 2012 Honda CR-V in Sanford at AutoNation, recommended by several friends. It was a blessing to work with Jake, a Christian salesman in Sanford whose mother had done some missions work in Russia.
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Visits
A special and enjoyable part of furlough is that of reconnecting with friends and ministry partners. So good to catch up with folks' joys and challenges, pray together, and thank them for their partnership. I did not get to personally see everyone I wanted to, nor will I in some other states... so I am very grateful for Skype and the U.S. mail for sending Filipino mementos (yet to come).
I saw MANY people in Orlando including in a nursing home plus I traveled to Titusville and Lake Wales. Such fun to hang out / play a game on floor with young children, learn more about hobbies and see collections, catch up on careers or retirement activities and family members. I was glad to pass on educational resources for extended use.
A special and enjoyable part of furlough is that of reconnecting with friends and ministry partners. So good to catch up with folks' joys and challenges, pray together, and thank them for their partnership. I did not get to personally see everyone I wanted to, nor will I in some other states... so I am very grateful for Skype and the U.S. mail for sending Filipino mementos (yet to come).
I saw MANY people in Orlando including in a nursing home plus I traveled to Titusville and Lake Wales. Such fun to hang out / play a game on floor with young children, learn more about hobbies and see collections, catch up on careers or retirement activities and family members. I was glad to pass on educational resources for extended use.The Wycliffe Connection (TWC): July 15-19
The Wycliffe Connection is designed to encourage and equip missionaries as we return to the States from the field. The goal is to provide a caring environment for dealing with re-entry issues, to celebrate how God is using us and to assist us as we connect with the people and services we will need while on furlough or making a change of assignment.
I consider it educational, encouraging, refreshing, renewing, and fun to connect with other missionaries.
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| Each family / individual choose an item from a collection of props that relates to us to help introduce ourselves. I chose a flower because my philosophy of life is "Bloom Where You Are Planted". I thank God for many ways to do that beyond my immediate school librarian assignment in both Cameroon and Philippines - esp. in children's ministry and outreach in my neighborhood. |
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| "Sharing Stories: Each couple or single shared highlights / challenges of our missionary service. I told and showed a photo of God'd mighty protection - in Cameroon I stood back behind the vehicle onto which the top of a tree fell 30 seconds before the tree came down. |
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| At the weekly EnterMission time of worship and speakers at Wycliffe USA in Orlando, a TWC participant sat at a round table. We shared a brief summary of our last assignment, prayer concerns, then folks at the table prayed for us. |
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| This is one of many informative group sessions. |
Library Friends Luncheon
I received a warm welcome back and happy retirement greetings from library staff with whom I had worked at the Lake Mary Branch of the Seminole County Public Library. Thanks friends for the retirement cards and gift cards/cash! They were proud of my librarianship abroad.
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Former Orlando First Church of God
Bi-Monthly Luncheon and Retirement Celebration
It was a delight to be able to attend the August bi-monthly luncheon with friends from the former Orlando First Church of God where I was Children's Minister for 14+ years and served in various other capacities. They hit a record of 29 people at the luncheon. So many fond members including taking youngsters to many nursing home visits, dozens of children's messages with congregation, "sermons in a sack"...once with live critters (baby guinea pigs).
Thanks for your special written greetings, gift, cake and smiley balloon. I so appreciate your warm welcome back from educational missions via Wycliffe Bible Translators - Cameroon / 6,278 and Philippines /9,396 miles away. The fellowship was a blessing.
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