Dear Friends,  

I'm not putting up much tonight, other than to say I'm using my time to visit  all of you dear friends of mine.  Thank you for you sweet congratulations and comments.  I am still in the "land of the living" -- I've mainly been using my "extra" time to read to Mom, and to try to do what needs to be done (including resting with cold packs, taking steroids & pain pills, etc.) .... the pain in my back and side are still pretty intense.  I did find out that I have arthritis in the spine, but I suspect that isn't really the problem.  Then Saturday night (i.e. - Sunday morning), I was in the E.R. from 2:30 - 9:30 with worsening pain. After a CT scan and being told that I had no problems with kidneys, appendix, etc.,  a friend brought us back home.  Today has been very painful, even with just sitting.  I called my doctor today, since nothing has really helped me yet.  Hopefully I will get in to see someone tomorrow, and we can find out what the source of all of this pain is! Meanwhile, life goes on whether one has pain or no pain.  I'm just thankful for friends and family and a God Who truly does care.

"God never allows pain without a purpose in the lives of His children. He never allows Satan, nor circumstances, nor any ill-intending person to afflict us unless He uses that affliction for our good. God never wastes pain. He always causes it to work together for our ultimate good, the good of conforming us more to the likeness of His Son (see Romans 8:28-29)."  ~ Jerry Bridges

My life verses: Rom. 8:28 -29 (God's Word Translation): "We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God—those whom he has called according to his plan. This is true because he already knew his people and had already appointed them to have the same form as the image of his Son. Therefore, his Son is the firstborn among many children."        Well, I'll see you around on your sites!