"Thoughtful Thursday"...Helping Others

Happy Thursday :) Since it's only 0158 here in the Northwoods of Minnesota I've not had much of a chance to GO OUT & do something for Someone but I do have "Sleeping Beauty" here (see yesterday blog) He's sleeping soundly & PEACEFULLY on the couch near by, he's even Snoring! LOL It's been awhile since he's slept so Sound & Long! Thank You for all your prayers and may they continue throughout today...

I've known *K* for about 3 yrs now, helped him move from South MN to up here, let him stay here during the transition and saw him thru treatment for alcohol a couple times. Then helped him move twice since. *K* accepted Jesus into his life & was doing VERY WELL for a time :)

We've enjoyed many laughs & tears... lots of cribbage, miles of bicycle riding, hours of conversation & the works. DAILY without a doubt *K* will call EARLY mornings & we'll talk over coffee. Have learned much about each other & support each other! Even our Religion backgrounds are the same! He's become one of my best friends so much that he's like a brother! :-)

Since I'm the last sibling of 4 alive... With tears, I left many GREAT Christian Friends (& my life) in March of 2006 when I moved back to MN from AZ to help Mom out after my brother was killed in an Inner Tube/cycle accident. My father who was my hero & I treasure with my heart went to Heaven in 2000.

Sometimes life gets to be a bit tough... You see, *M* knows how to 'push my buttons' & does very well/ When things get tough I've been known to RUN...

*K* has lost both of his parents already... his sharing of experience, strength & hope seems to get me back on track & Living God's Commandment of "Honor Thy Mother & Thy Father" to the best I can!

I've continued my journey learning more of God's Word, Studying the Bible, watching two Great Gospel Ministers

Joyce Meyer and Cleflo Dollar daily, attend a Bible based Wkly Study with my Pastor which has been AWESOME! We've been using the book "That I May Know Him" and are on the last chapter which we'll be doing this afternoon. Being PC savvy & blessed with a PC I've been able to follow blogs that are TRUELY uplifting... I tend to surround my time around the Postive. My Spiritual Journey continues to Grow & the seeds that I sow are flourishing before my eyes. God is so Loving! Each day brings NEW & Brighter Days!

*K* on the other hand, has been in & out of relationships, fallen away from church, quit taking his meds and trys to find Peace & Serenity from the outside instead of inside. :-( Most of us know how well that works... at least I do!

Not long ago the LOVE of his life moved away & after getting settled back in her 'home town' she ended the romance with him. *K*'s hopes & dreams of marriage & family shattered! Being the REAL alcoholic & depressed person & not having a close relationship with God took him to the depths of a bottom I am so GRATEFUL the Good Lord has seen me THRU to the other side!

Today we, the Crisis Ctr & myself, are going to hopefully help *K* get the Care he NEEDS. Our hopes are that God will see him get placed into the Hospital Pych for whatever time it will take. The nearest Pych is down on the Iron Range. Not TOO far away that I won't be able to visit :-) but far enough that *K* won't just give up & walk home!

And so the meaning of this blog... Thoughful Thursday by helping others... my day ahead will be filled with HOPEFULLY making a trip out of town to take *K* to the Hospital that Specializes in the care he so desperately seeks. Please pray for his well being! Thanks!

Now I must get this published, linked up & get to my place of employment to clean for TWO HOURS! I do this ONLY twice a wk. IF that's what you wish to call a Real JOB, go for it! LOL Myself, I call it helping others out so they eat in a clean atmosphere & then mess up the toilets I just cleaned! ;-) LOL

Have a Great Thoughful Thursday & don't forget to Rejoice In The Lord for He's the BEST friend you'll ever find!

Until we meet again my friends, may God hold you in the palm of His Hands!
~Joni

Okay, now it's YOUR turn. Here's how you get your link on my blog :-) Go to YOUR blog, create a new post for "Thoughtful Thursdays" and add my link to your post then leave me a comment that you've done that :-) AND my next post you'll be added :-)

And PLEASE do check these four sites out:

The Mind of Brent Riggs

then click back to come get my link...

My FIRST & MAIN Profile Blogland can be found over at MYSPACE... ;-)

Ultra Sound today...

Earlier I flew outta here with wings of an Eagle since I spent more time than it should've taken to do my last blog... HA... I'm in the 'learning stage' of this particular Blogger! Takes a few knicks & turns before it comes out right :-)

After getting up to the clinic/hospital and changing into gown, lieing on bed waiting for my FOURTH ultra sound, Dr. Haugen comes in apologizing that he won't be able to do the Ultra Sound until he recieves the MRI scans that were done in Duluth on the 13th of February. Well... if that ain't just a crock! Not Dr. Haugen, he's a Nice cheery guy with excellent patient care. :-) I'm talking the Nurse Practioner that last had my Films in Duluth & said she personally was sending them up here that day. THAT was Monday the 19th! Now mind you, I'm SUPPOSE to be going into surgery Next Week! God please show me the humor in this one as my MRI Films are 'LOST'

So I come home and call down to Duluth... "I'm sorry, she's on the phone." So here I sit an hour later & STILL no phone call from Lisa, NP. Looking at the clock 1744 I'm thinking "Noppirs, won't happen today"...

Ok so on with the evening, waiting for *K* to come for an over nighter so he doesn't need to stay alone. He says he's bringing Ribeyes :P My tummy is anxiously waiting...
Tomorrow is Bible Class with Pastor AND I'm so looking for to it :-)

Prayers to Everyone for a wonderful 24hrs ahead!

Blessings - Peace - Joy - Love,
~Joni

"Pray for Me...Pray for Others"

We participate in "Pray for Me... Pray for Others" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check out their blog to add your prayer request. Join a community of friends who care about you, and hope you will care about them.


I'm learning each & every day how God's Blessings get Bigger, Better, Closer to a Sunshine Day EVERY day! I'm finding that we have a CHOOSE to be full of JOY... one doesn't have to allow the 'outside world' to bring them done!


"Even in the midst of the difficulties and challenges of everyday living, you can experience renewal, refreshment and restoration as you learn to wait on the Lord. Give your mind a vacation, the minute you start to get weary… go some place to be alone for a moment…! Even a bathroom is good." ~ Joyce Meyer

Today I'd like to Give My Prayer Request Away to a lil one that I have just met 'online' Kayleigh She was 1# when born and is still in NICU after long 8months. She is now +7#'s :) Now THAT is a MIRACLE of God! Please join me in prayer that God continues to Heal and Kayleigh will be able to go home with her parents soon.

... as always I'm also praying for Abby Riggs! Her smiles in the midst of the storm are PRICELESS!!!

One more... before I rush off to my FOURTH UltraSound... a prayer goes out to one of my best buddies; a big supporter & friend like a brother aka *K* who's been faced with Severe DEEP Depression these last couple wks. It's been a complete STRUGGLE for him to continue on... & truthfully it's been a bit rough on me watching, listening to this beautiful Child of God go thru but I REFUSE to give up! Therefore, I will continue to put my "STUFF" on hold & be available to to him & others that the Good Lord has put on path as I journey towards HEAVEN! You all have taught me... Don't Give Up Before The Miracle!

Thanks & Blessings to You!
~Joni :)

This post is part of "Laughter Lives! Tuesday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check our their blog to read everyone else's "Laughter Lives!" posts.

Laughter Lives! Tuesday is from an Email I recieved early this morning... Quite the 'eye opener' LOL

To my friends who enjoy a glass of wine... And to those who don't.
As Ben Franklin said:
In wine there is wisdom,
In beer there is freedom,
In water there is bacteria.

In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have demonstrated that if we drink 1 liter of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. Coli) bacteria found in feces.

In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop.

However, we do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer (or tequila, rum, whisky or other liquor), because alcohol has to go through a purification process of boiling, filtering and/or fermenting.

Remember:

Water = Poop

Wine = Health

Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid,
Than to drink water and be full of shit.

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service :=)

Waiting More Results...

Welcome Back to both You & Me! If ever there's a time when life seems to fly right by this is it... Goshhhhhhh, it's almost MARCH already & I'm still in 2008! j/k Not really... I'm "Right Where I'm Suppose To Be"... no more & no less! Living Life is truely an EXPERIENCE & one I hope to continue for a very long time to come.

And this blog is LONG, DETAILED, NEGATIVE & My EXPERIENCE so if you find reading boring then click out NOW :-)

IF you've not been following my blogs over on MySpace... I've been through a series of tests, surgeries and the likes... Last Friday the 13th, I drove to Duluth, MN leaving home at 8ish (I think) in the morning (not the best time for me since that's when I'm usually heading for bed). Anyway, Some ppl REALLY like to drive slow on HWYS. There's times I've thought they've NEVER driven MN Winter Roads before! LOL So, I get down to St. Mary's Duluth Clinic JUST in the nick of time for first appt. with Oncologist, who I'm told will guide me into which "treatment" I'll be needing. He tells me the report that my Surgeon told me a wk prior but confirms it & he orders Genetic Testing (blood draw I'm assuming), a visit with some NP & a MRI then says, "I'll be following your case along the stretch of this road and would like to see you in 6 wks, about 4 wks after surgery." I'm thinking OH ok so I'm having ANOTHER surgery (My Ulnar Nerve Transposition on Elbow isn't even Healed up yet !!) & if my math is correct that would mean Surgery in TWO wks?!?!?!? HOLY HANNAH! When, Where, How, What, well I know the Why but could I please have more information??? Aren't we going to wait until AFTER the RESULTS are IN????? He walks me out to appt desk to give the lady his orders. Appts made... NP @ 1300, Genetic Testing @1400, MRI @1800.... Aw, OK, it's 1220 now... time for quick lunch & smoke. HA Quick isn't too fiesable in a cafeateria still setting with ONE arm! LOL I never claimed to be a waitress who can carry a tray of food & drinks with one arm! But, some how I managed & still able to get a smoke in before next appt. Wahoo!!! Well, next appt @1300 ended up being 1330 & I was NOT at all impressed with this session!!! She took all the SAME info I'd just given Dr. Friday Upstairs, looked thru my Medical Records from my Surgeon, showed me some pictures of before & after... Hot Pics! NOT!!! LMAO! And says "I'll call you Tuesday with MRI results." Buzzzz Cell Phone "Hello"... "Hi Joni?"... "Yes, this is Joni"... "I'm Laura, I was wondering if you're going to meet for Genetic Evaluation?"... *Looks at watch* "Yes, I'm downstairs with NP Lisa, I'll be right there!" 1410 Up the elevator & there's Laura. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, how fun trying to juggle my mind to come up with family dates, information that I've know not much about. HALF of the Fam Dam can't give out for 1/4 of them already finished there time on earth & 1/4 don't talk to me AND let me add ~ I've been Awake since YESTERDAY!!!

Ok, let me explain a bit so you get a better picture of this Fam Dam of mine... When Mom was 3 her parents divorced. Gma got remarried & Gpa moved outta state... NO ONE talked about him. So when lil ole me came around, all I knew was Gpa Joel. UNTIL age 15 when Gpa Erhart shows to say his Goodbyes at a funeral for my BEST buddy aka my brother Steven. "So does that mean, "I stop calling Gpa Joel Gpa?" I'll never forget that day & how I felt! VERY hurt & confused. Not to mention SCREAMING at God for taking my BEST bud! "WHY? WHY not me instead? Steven had Everything Going for him!!! He'd JUST finished Diesel Mechanics, Got a GREAT Job at Zeigler, a Nice P/Up & had a wonderful, loving fiancee'. WHY God? What do I have? NOTTA...!"

Oh, how UNGRATFUL & LOW self-esteem I was in those days!!! As you can imagine, when Bob gave me an engagement ring I was THRILLED beyond words! But of course, that didn't last either... I was messing up left & right! During Senior Yr decided to RUN from problems & enlisted with US Navy.....

Soooooooooooooooooo, Genetic Testing EVALUATION done to the best of my ability, Genetic Blood Draw Tests take up to 7 days, Laura will call me. That cost $3,150.00 I'm thinking "I should become a GNM******?" LOL Oh, goodie now I've got 2 hrs before MRI.... Go out to my car, called *K* "I won't be back for supper tonight & I may stay overnight?" Called Mom "Well I know just as much now as I did last wk. blah blah blah" How exciting... getting to find a motel on a Friday & on Valentine's Wkend??? A few calls, NOT paying over a hundred for a few hours sleep so I drive up to MickeyD's for a cup of coffee, shake & fries... drive thru, pay, park car... first trip in for the Egual & a spoon... Second trip back in for BLACK coffee Not CREAM coffee... Is there any way those two words even sound alike??? Geeshhhhhhh. MMMMmmm fries are tastey by now! LOL

Drive to the Hospital for MRI, clinic MRI is closed... fun trying to find my way around when it seems everyone is gone home or out to supper... LOL Beings the Registration was dark but lights on in EMPLOYEES ONLY - looked like PT dept. I went in :) HELLO? HELLO?? HELLO??? Aw, Excuse me, I've an appt for MRI. "That's across the hall thru the doors & take a right" "OK Thanks alot!" Hmmm, sure would be nice if there were a sign. LOL Register there, sit, sit, sit, change into hospital gown, pants, robe, sit, yawn, sit, sit, yawn, curl up in chair, eyes shut, yawn. "Joni" Aww,,, finally! It's only 2000 which is also known as 8pm!!! Oh boy this is FUN... Lay face down, boobs hanging in 2 metal holes, ribs smashed on hard table, both arms up above head inside a tight tunnel for ONE hr all while listening to a LOUD machine! Weeeeeeeee, lots of FUN... not! After the hr I'm slid out & can't move... TOO much PAIN... shoulder is "Locked". May I turn over... Go back in there with NO sound & sleep....... I mean hey, it IS just like a drawer in the morgue... slide body on hard table in, don't move, slide body out ~ Good thing our Spirit doesn't stay there after death! Get up, dressed, find car in parking ramp, 2145, sit, smoke & clear the mind... This trip ahead is not safe! I'm EXHAUSTED, I'm OVERLY TIRED, I'm in PAIN, I'm CONFUSED on future, I'm also NIGHT BLIND! Driving at night is miserable FOCUSING so hard to see even the lines on road! Call Kev, "I'll be back in town around Midnight MAYBE that's if I don't die getting there." I pray...

And folks, THIS is where Jesus takes over...... SOME HOW I'm back SAFE in my town at 2300! That trip was ONLY one hour!

Tonights Thursday and I've NOT heard from ANY health professionals...

Goodnight & SWEET dreams! :)

Traveling to Duluth Today...

We'll be leaving in 1/2 hr. ~ I'm driving to Duluth this morning for appt. with the Oncologist regarding my cancer and another appt. for Genetic Testing. I've NO clue what either of these appts will result in but I'm guessing I'll know by the time I leave Duluth this evening. :) This time I've a rider... Kev will be going with so it could be a whole day event.?.?.

Have a great day!
~Joni

Edited: Kev at last minute didn't go which is good because as it turned out, I was in appts ALL day.

Hi/Lo Thursday

This post is part of "Hi/Lo Thursday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check out their blog to read everyone else's "Hi/Lo" posts and for a chance to win $100.

My Hi is ABBY is HOME with her family!!! And she's taught me a HUGE lesson in NOT giving up!

My Lo is that I have Cancer & just lost my job yesterday (or is that a Hi?)...

I will NOT give up on you Lord Jesus Christ My Father in Heaven! I pray that you HEAL me & ALL your children that are suffering!
~Joni :)

Going to be a Great-Auntie

JUST got word that the Child inside Mommy (Nephew's live-in G.F.) is a GIRL and they are "partly" naming it after my middle name which has been carried down through generations!!! BUT now Nephew moved it to be Part of the FIRST name! To protect my FIRST Great-Niece AND parents at this point because she has not arrived to this Earthly Home yet (March) I won't say complete name but my middle name is Lee

Now granted "Christians" will read this... so you MIGHT be thinking "They put the horse before the cart!" Well, YES they did... and LIFE goes on! It's NOT for me to judge them or 'look down upon'... WE are all equal in the eyes of God

(Little did they know at the time of conception) that "Daddy" would not have to go BACK to IRAQ to Serve Our Country where He may not have come back home... BUT I can almost be certain that I will hear 'wedding bells' not too far off in the future. HALLELUJAH!

Looking forward to a HAPPY BABY GIRL in 'March'!?!?!? Thank You God!

Btw... My date of birth is in MARCH along with my Brother's (who was killed in 2005) I am certain he is in Heaven GLOWING with a 'Grandpa' SMILE!!!!!!!
~Joni :)