Thankful Thursday - Remembering 9/11

We all remember September 11 as the day our beloved country was attacked.  I was working in downtown Jacksonville, Florida when our office got the devastating news that a plane had hit one of the twin towers in New York City.  I remember being shocked and horrified as we watched the video of the attack.  Management announced that work was over for the day and we all hurried out.  Before I left, my daughter, Melissa, called me with the awful news that one of our close friends was in downtown New York City when it all happened.  It took her several days to escape the city.

Ordinarily, I used the above-ground people mover to get into downtown, but it was shut down.  We didn't know if there would be more attacks on major cities, so people were racing to the people mover parking lot to get out of the city.  It was a surreal scene that I will never forget.  I ran --  praying for myself, for others running beside me, my family, and my country to be protected -- all the while watching the skies for airplanes.

My parent's house was not far from downtown, so I rushed over there, wondering what would happen next.  Would we have to evacuate?  Thankfully, we did not.  We spent the remainder of the day glued to the television, watching the two attacks on the towers.  Horrified is the only word I can use to express our emotions.

Those are my memories of that horrible day.

As the graphic says, that day inspired tremendous patriotism in America.  That was a wonderful experience.  We were united in love for our country and wanted to defend and protect her with all our might.  That was the beauty that came out of the ashes, and it lasted for a long time.  It never stopped in my heart.

I see it happening again with the election of President Trump.  The chant, "USA, USA, USA!!!" is always heard in his rallies.  He has inspired us to love and preserve our country, and I'm so thankful for it.

Our last president hated America and set out to change it.  He told us America was a bad country and called us evil colonialists.  His wife even said she'd never proud of America until her husband was elected.    He said we'd never reach the heights of the past - economically or globally.  Determined to make America pay for her colonialist sins, he worked hard at making it happen by destroying the auto industry, attempting to destroy our private healthcare system, and our wonderful military.

He lied about many things - including his stand on abortion and homosexuality.  Once in office, he set about to encourage more abortions and expanded the homosexual agenda.  He even mandated bi-sexual bathrooms in public places and in public schools.  He taught people to disrespect the military and the police force.

He disdained people like me and called us "people who cling to their guns and their Bibles."  He claimed to be a Christian, but sung the praises of Islam and bowed down to and kissed the ring of a Muslim king.

He increased our national debt by trillions of dollars and even put billions of dollars of CASH on a plane for Iran, our enemy. He perpetrated a tremendous fraud on our country.  He misrepresented himself to be a patriot, but was, in reality, a Saul Alinsky devotee.  I, and others knew this because we vetted him.  We had researched his background thoroughly.   America's news journalists of the mainstream media outlets did not.  They lauded him and praised him like the blind and deceived propaganda machines that they are. They were, and are still, all for turning America into a socialist country.

We paid a high price for that mistake.  But God had mercy on us.  Donald Trump was elected and he loves America.  He wants her to rise and be the shining city on the hill -- which is how I see her.  And it's happening, friends.  I'm proud to be an American like the song says.

America has thrived in so many ways.  We've seen wonderful economic news in the stock market, employment, new small businesses, the return of businesses to America, new trade agreements to bring business here again,  the advancement of women and minorities, immigration reforms, help for our wonderful military veterans, and so much more.

The thing I'm most thankful for is the changes he's made to Planned Parenthood.  He has vetoed funding for that baby-murder business, and many of their clinics have been completely closed down!  I read recently that in some states there are NO ABORTION CLINICS AT ALL.  Join me in shouting a great, big, "HALELUYAH!"

If you love America, my friends, do not . . . I repeat . . . DO NOT VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT.  Every single one of the people running for president is a progressive/socialist who wants to continue  Obama's agenda.

I'll be voting for Trump in 2020 because I want to KEEP AMERICA GREAT!   I hope you will, too.

Sabbath Music - Adonai Uri

 Oh, what a long week we've had.  Last Sunday and Monday, we were making final preparations for Hurricane Dorian, which was headed for the Space Coast.  Praise Adonai forever -- we were spared as the storm stayed well off the coast.  No damage, no loss of power and very little wind and rain.  Hashem heard our prayers and protected us.  Haleluyah!

I've heard people saying it was over-hyped or it was a nothing-burger.  But, just imagine what would have happened if Dorian had retained its strength and stayed on the same course.  We would be like the poor people of the Bahamas.  So, I am very grateful today as I prepare for the Sabbath.

I love this beautiful song, so appropriate for this past week, which is based on Psalm 27.  I hope you will meditate on that passage and enjoy the video on your Sabbath this week.  Adonai Uri by Michael ben David.

Shabbat Shalom, Y'all and be blessed and grateful.  And pray for the people in the Bahamas.

Thankful Thursday - Hurricane Praises & Chocolate Truffles!

 


THANK YOU FOR THE PRAYERS. We are praising God because Dorian passed us by last night and today (DOWN FROM A CATEGORY 5 TO A 2) and we had very little rain, no yard or home damage from wind. AND, we didn't lose power!   There was lots of damage to the beaches and the sea turtle nests, but not to people or homes. He's riding close to the coast a he goes north, so keep praying friends.   Our prayer was for him to turn east and to lose strength!  Haleluyah!

My dear husband and our son-in-love worked like Turks to get ready for the storm.  We couldn't have done it without dear William.  After William finished boarding up their house and helping his parents, he came to help Jem with the new generator.  They worked for hours on it  setting it up, adding oil,  and letting it run. Then when it was time to drain the oil, the nut where the oil drains would not come off because the tool to release it was not in the box.  They tried all of Jem's tools and asked a neighbor if he had one -- but no luck.  William finally found a tool somewhere, somehow and they got it done!!  


I was amazed at the endurance and strength of my sweet husband - who just turned seventy-three.  He worked from morning till night on Monday boarding up and moving plants and moving the stuff on the patio to the shed. At the end of the day, his poor feet had huge blisters. But, even as tired as he was, he saw our neighbor struggling to move something and went across the street to offer his help.   He's a hard-working man and I admire him so much.  He never gives up and never gives in until the jobs is done -- and done well.  All of this is done with NO complaining.  What a man! Can you tell I love him?  I love my son-in-love, too.  Men like those two are very rare and I'm thankful for them both.

We started preparing for Dorian last Wednesday - that's a whole week, Gail-Friends!  While organizing the shed and cleaning off the patio, I realized we still have too much STUFF!  This, after cleaning out and donating three van loads of STUFF before, during, and after the garage re-do.  So, the van is filling up once again.  We both worked hard getting ready in the house and the yard, and I told Jem, "This is why old people move to condos."  

God was so good to us in not letting anything happen to us or our neighbors and we give him all the praise and thanks.  

The weatherman is talking today about more storms in the Atlantic that could be headed our way.  I told him, "Shut your mouth!"  (Yes, I talk to the TV.) Those memories of three back-to-back hurricanes in 2004 are still very fresh!  It could happen, Gail-Friends, so,we came through Dorian with resolve to do two things:

1.  To talk to our neighbor about cutting down the three pine trees adjacent to our front yard, one of which leans toward Golden Cottage.  That was our biggest concern.  

2.  To purchase storm shutters that stay on the windows all the time.  Putting plywood up is a tough job.

While we were waiting for the storm to arrive and then move north, I was struck by a burst of energy and a burning desire for ORDER!!!  I cleaned cabinets and closets like a mad woman.  I organized my office files and decades of  family photographs, records, and cassette tapes.  So, thanks to Dorian, I'm super organized.  

I also decided to color my hair and give myself RED highlights.  Then I decided to cut it.  All of this was NOT a good idea, so I'm not sharing any pictures.  My daughter, Amanda, is going to try to  help me tomorrow.  

While we waited (and listened to the weather people go on and on)  I went through recipes and found  a wonderful treat I have to share with you.  During hurricanes in the past, I ate crunchy junk food and chocolate -- but not this year!  I loaded up with raw veggies with hummus, triple zero yogurt, and THIS Trim Healthy Mama treat:  

Easy-Peasy to make, too!

 the picture and recipe makes seven large marble sized truffles

TWO MINUTE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES from My Montana Kitchen

I'm telling you, Gail-Friends, I could kiss the feet of this woman.  Jem ate Snickers and I ate these wonderful treats, which are sugar-free, low-carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, and THM-S.  You have to visit her blog because she has tons of good, healthy recipes. The blog post has the ingredients and instructions and, like she said in her post, don't be ashamed if you eat it with a spoon right out of the bowl.  I asked Jem if he'd like to try it and he loved it.  So, I made a double batch the next day.  (The Trim Healthy Mama books are available on their website. They also have a Facebook group that's very helpful.)


I was determined to stay on track with my health goals through the hurricane and I praise Hashem for giving me the strength to eat right.  I've lost sixteen pounds over the past four months and I feel fabulous!  I've been exercising four or five days a week, too.  I do two pool days and two gym days weekly, and then walk on the weekend.  I've been working with a personal trainer and she has taught me so much.  I told Jem I think I'm getting addicted to exercise because I really missed going over the past week. I still haven't experienced those endorphins people talk about, though.

Please continue to pray for those in the path of Dorian as he heads north.  Let's just pray he heads further east and fizzles out completely.  And pray for those in the Bahamas,too.  The reports are horrific - people were killed and thousands of homes are completely destroyed.  They're going to need lots of help, so let's pray about what we can do to assist them.

Blessings and have a good week.  Let me know if I can pray for you.

~~~~~

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