Photo Creativity

Getting creative with a photo

taken by Brent Riggs

And Changing It Into This!

Whatta think?  

Leave me a comment then go try it out yourself...

Follow Brent's Intructions by clicking here: Brent Riggs

And one just because I love graphics! 
:-)

Wonderful "Lazy" 24 hrs. & Updates

 Good Sonday Morning :-) What a wonderful "Lazy" 24 it's been!!!  No computer yesterday...  I laid on couch most yesterday while Kev & I talked most of the day -- haven't had that long of convo in years!  Wow :-)  Made "Tator-tot-hotdish" for supper which was DELICIOUS :-P & went to bed.   Difficult getting to sleep, took a sleeping pill & slept till 4:30am!!!  :-)  As most know, I average 3-4 hrs sleep at best so 6 hrs felt great!  As I type this I'm thinking, "Could sleep another hour or two yet!"  ha

Am Sound/Video Tech @ church this morning followed by Bible Study.  Afterwards, there's a special voter's mtg scheduled for 11am. 

It all began a couple yrs. ago... it was voted to let our Associate Pastor go & have only an Administrator Pastor.  They let the Associate Pastor go BEFORE getting an Administrative on Dec. 31st, 2009.  Well, that's where I (& many others) see went wrong. 

The consequences of that action:  When Associate Pastor left, so did part of the congregation.   With attendance drop and then Summer Season always lower;  we voted for one Service on Sundays rather than two & move Sat. to Monday.   I didn't realize that Jesus took vacations from "Carrying the Message" in Summers but apparently HE does.   ;-)

So now that Summer draws to a close -- what are we going to do???  That's where the congregation comes in with our votes.  Today our congregation will vote on the time of services, whether to have 2 on Sundays or continue on with just one on Sundays as we've experienced throughout the Summer.  And whether to keep Service on Monday evening or move back to Saturday evening.  

SOME of us don't drive due to not owning a vehicle, no license, or whatever the reason.  SOME of us ride the "Happy Bus" that picks us up & takes us to our destination.   As you may or may not have read in my earlier blogs, my car bit the dirt this last February when the timing belt broke.  :-(   So I've been peddling the bicycle that was gifted me by a friend this last  April.  :-)   I've throughly enjoyed having a bicycle too!!!   However, living in MN we get that white stuff called "snow" and I've not figured out how to attach a ski to the wheels yet!  LOL 

The "Happy Bus" has ONE driver on Sundays.  He starts at 9:00am.  Our service currently starts at 9:00am!  I'd love to skip the mtg. & be with my friend, Kev, who has been here helping me out during my arm surgery but it's IMPORTANT that I attend to voice my thoughts for not only myself but also those that cannot.  While you may be thinking, aren't there ppl willing to pick others up?  I'll answer that with... READ my 09.11.10 blog.   And two of the 'others' are in wheelchairs so they pretty much need the "Happy Bus" to go anywhere.

Todays mtg. will be the voting factor whether I continue as Sound/Video Tech or more specifically whether I continue to attend that church or not! 

And we STILL do not have an Administrative Pastor... all the calls put out have been denied.  The reasoning behind letting Pastor go:  Would cost less to have a Vacancy Pastor twice a wk rather than a FT Associate!  This is where I say "Oh hells bells!" Since when did this congregation go from "Sharing the Message of Jesus" with FAITH to "Money Market"???

An Update re: arm & nerve damage... Staples come out tomorrow (Monday) YEAH!!!  I'm doing pretty good with it too!!! YEAH!!!  Have taken off the bandage & been doing some PT on it.   Am typing with it now!  :-)   Friday I even got on my bicycle and rode across the parking lots -- felt Wonderful!!!   Hot diggitty dam!   2 fingers are still numb (tingling) but I hope that'll improve before I see the Surgeon next Monday the 30th.

If you've missed the good news -- Abby Riggs has LESS than 3 months of her chemo treatments left!!!  Wahoo!  :-)   She's been running a fever however so please pray that she doesn't get a bug!  Visit todays Riggs Family blog for AWESOME sunset photos last night.   LOTS of kewl photos of their trip to Colorado before that.  :-)

Have a great day & thanks for stopping in!

~Joni 

P.s. Have taken some photos but need to develop yet as I've not a cable or card reader for this newer camera.  Today?

Surgery (again) & Update

(copied email from gmail.com)
Date: Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 12:00 AM Subject: Surgery

Greetings All~

Home from surgery late this afternoon. All went very well; Surgeon told Kev that he scraped lots of scar tissue away then cut & transpositioned the nerve as it was compressed at Left Elbow. (Same one done Feb of 2009). Saturday I am to take off the bandage wrap, shower, & apply clean dressing. On MO the 23rd of July, I return to clinic for staple removal then back MO the 30th of July for wound check. From there I will start Physical Therapy.

Was only in Recovery for 30 minutes & not even an hour in my room; long enough to eat, dress & sign discharge papers. Kev ate lunch, watched TV patiently waiting, & was there in room when I came back from recovery to also sign discharge papers! Although bus ride home took us on a "tour of G.R." & a bumpy ride first before getting to GM II -- it was nice to be home sitting in recliner with arm propped up on pillow & feet up!!! When not in recliner or bed arm needs to be in sling, which is ok too.

Tho I can do much one handed, I'm very grateful that Kev was willing to come stay to help me out!!! He is a wonderful nurse, cook, maid, & errand runner!!! He is also thankful to be here to help... today is ONE MONTH since he found his s.o. Rhonda had died in her sleep! He is doing ok tho going thru the grieving process brings depression so being with me brings about some relief -- we have been best friends almost 5yrs now! Rhonda was also a good person & whom I stayed with overnight most every time I had to go to Duluth, MN for medical appts. (as some of you know, was A LOT in 2009 for cancer). She also had her share of surgeries so Kev was a super help for her too.

After her death, I was finally able to find a ride to Duluth & stayed there at Rhonda's with Kev for two weeks while I packed up & cleaned her apt. Being able to support Kev during this grief is something I'm all too familiar with in my own losses of loved ones while living in AZ & very thankful I can give back to someone else now.

Now I am ONE winged for a while & typing is much slower, thanks be to God that I learned typing as a child, kept at it & know the keyboard well enough to type with five fingers -- oh & it helps to have long fingers too!!! LOL

Already, miss riding my bicycle, hoping to be fully recovered back peddling before that dang white stuff falls!!! Will continue to do church newsletter as I enjoy it & also video/sound tech for Sunday Services as that too is pretty much a one hand job as long as I can find someone to transport me since the town bus doesn't start until 9 am Sundays & service is at 9 am. Time to stop & get to bed in front of my fan tho!!! It's been in the 80's w/ 90% humidity -- uffda!

~Joni Drewes-Sweet aka Clutz!

Update:  3 am --  Please pray for proper healing & less pain, swelling of hand also... it's too early for pain pills so I'm up icing arm now. 
 
P.S. I've been informed that the South is having 106* with 90% humidity!  OUCH to those down there... drink LOTS of water!!!Hope you are well & God Bless,