A Joyous Reunion...

was held in Heaven today, as Ande's grandma, Ruth, answered her call to go home to the Lord. Ruth was reunited with her husband Gene, who was called home in March 2003.

We'll miss you, Grandma!

Being that I'm from Michigan, this article really hits home:

Click here to read a great article about the economy, and how who we vote for in this presidential election could make or break it.

Like rats leaving a sinking ship:

Found this article this morning on Yahoo! News. I have the distinct feeling that this won't be the first of these kinds of stories.

Top Democratic fundraiser backs McCain over Obama
Thu Sep 18, 12:54 AM ET

A former supporter and generous donor to Hillary Clinton announced she had endorsed Republican John McCain for president, saying she did so because the Democratic nominee Barack Obama was too elitist. (NO, REALLY????)

Even before jumping ship for the McCain campaign, Lynn Forester de Rothschild did not hide her dislike for Obama, who narrowly defeated Clinton in a months-long battle for the Democratic nomination.

In July she told CNN: "Frankly I don't like him. I feel like he is an elitist. I feel like he has not given me reason to trust him." (JOIN THE CLUB, SISTER, WE HAVE JACKETS!)

Rothschild, wife of British banker Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, and long-time member of the Democratic Party, gave more than 100,000 dollars to Clinton's failed bid for the party's nomination.

"Senator Clinton disagrees with her decision," said Clinton spokeswoman Kathleen Strand.

Appearing on CNN Wednesday, Rothschild backtracked somewhat to stress that she didn't not like Obama, but "I said critical things about him because I don't think he should be president in this election." (ME EITHER)

Rothschild said she was resigning Wednesday from the Democratic National Committee's platform committee, but that she would remain a registered Democrat.

Former president "Ronald Reagan might have said it right, the Democratic Party left me, I didn't leave the Democratic Party," she said.

As Rothschild announced her defection to McCain, the Obama campaign lauded an endorsement from Lilly Ledbetter, an Alabama woman whose fight for equal pay led her to the US Supreme Court. (EQUAL PAY IS A GOOD THING)

At a campaign event focusing on the economy in Richmond, Virginia, Ledbetter heralded Obama for supporting fair pay legislation that bears her name.

Speaking about Obama, Ledbetter said: "There is only one candidate who has stood up for women like me, who has consistently fought to help women who are working hard every day for our families and aren't being paid fairly." (HE DOESN'T FIGHT FOR THE LIVES OF INNOCENT BABIES, TO PROTECT OUR COUNTRY, ASSOCIATES WITH KNOWN TERRORISTS, WANTS TO RAISE OUR TAXES, AND HAS MADE SOME STATEMENTS RECENTLY THAT HAVE CAUSED MEMBERS OF HIS OWN POLITICAL PARTY TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM HIM...BUT HE SUPPORTS EQUAL PAY, AND THAT WILL MAKE HIM A GOOD PRESIDENT. NOT)

Just so ya know...

My Sarah Palin post experiment has been inconclusive. I didn't get a spike in visits, and have averaged only slightly higher than "normal" traffic to my blog. Drat. I was hoping to prove something. (What that something is, I don't really know, but....). At least I can say I tried.

What I wanna do on my summer vacation...

I know, I know, summer just ended. I'm talking NEXT summer!! Ever been to New Jersey? Does the name Morey's Piers sound familiar? If it does, then you'll know what I'm talking about.

Morey's Piers (located in Wildwood, NJ), looks like a fun place for a family beach vacation. There are 3 piers, each with it's own theme. There's lots of carnival-type rides (carousel, Tilt-A-Whirl, etc.), games, a few roller coaster, AND water rides! The prices are reasonable, and you have several different options as to what kind of ticket you want to buy (combination passes, just amusement ride passes, just water park passes...) You can even (if you live close enough) buy a season pass.

Visit their website by clicking here: New Jersey water parks, and you can not only find information about Morey's Piers, but also about some different hotels (my favorite of which actually offers Airstream Trailers for rent...AWESOME!) and dining choices in the area. If you're interested in a job, you can even apply online! (Hmm...Bubber will be old enough to work in a couple of years...maybe we could move to Jersey for the summer...we'd get discounts at the pier!!)

There's all kind of cool weekly specials, all of which can be found on their website. There are even special events, such as A Closer Walk Christian Youth Event (gotta love that) and even educational class trips! How cool is that?

Praise report & prayer request

PRAISE REPORT!!!!!

Ande went to see his grandma last night, and said that she had perked up a bit, and even was laughing with him and his cousin. Grandma even got moved to a "regular" room, which is good news. Ande didn't get to find out what the progress with the blood clots was, but I imagine it must be at least stable, as I can't imagine she would have been moved out of intensive care otherwise. Praise God! Thanks to any of you who have prayed on our behalf. The Lord does hear the prayers of his faithful.

*****I got a call from Ande's mom this morning telling me that Ande's grandma was placed back in ICU last night after experiencing labored breathing. Thanking you for your continued prayers.*****

Prayer for a friend...

I also have another prayer request, relating to a friend of ours. I can't get into much detail other than to say that someone who Ande and I care deeply about is in desperate need of prayer. Pray that he will seek help and remember that the Lord is bigger than any addiction. Also pray for his family, especially his 3 daughters, who are going to be affected in a number of ways by this.

Lord, you ARE so faithful, you CAN work miracles, you DO love us, you WILL NOT leave us or forsake us. I love you, Lord, and thank you for sending your son to die for our sins. There is nothing we could ever do to earn salvation, yet you freely offer it. I am amazed and in awe of you, Lord.

You CAN heal my friend, and I believe that with all my heart. Lord, if it is your will, I pray that you will show my friend in no uncertain terms that you have the POWER to help him, if only he will submit to you.

Lord, I don't know why this has happened to my friend. I can't even begin to imagine how this situation will be worked out. All I know is that you will hear and answer my prayer.

I pray for strength and wisdom for his family, and for you to place a hedge of protection around each of them. I pray that you would also place a hedge of thorns around my friend, so that this addiction will hold no pleasure for him. I cry out especially on behalf of those precious daughters, Lord, that you would keep old wounds closed and protect them from new ones.

Lord, I simply don't even have the words to speak, but you know my heart, and you know this situation. You knew it before my friend was even born, and if it is your will, I plead with you to intercede in his life and release him from this bondage that has held him for YEARS, Lord.

Whatever your will is, Lord, I pray that you show yourself in this situation, that my friend can have no doubt that you love him, and that he and his family will turn TO you, not from you. Help my friend turn his back on this sin, and to forge ahead with renewed strength.

Thanking you for working in my heart, Lord, and for giving me the ability to pray on the behalf of not only myself, but others as well. Thanking you as well for whatever work you do in my friend's life, Lord. In Jesus' precious name.

Amen

Walk by faith, not by sight...

Thanks to Rick Green at Organized Doodles, for letting his readers share this drawing. Visit his blog to let him know if you liked it!

I should have posted this several days ago

For those of you who are (or know someone who is) prayer warriors...Could you please pray for Ande's grandma Ruth (and his family)?

After a couple of incidents with heart palpitations, and a failed attempt to get her to go to the hospital, Ande's uncle made his grandma go to the ER. Of course, they admitted her, and found several problems. The most serious one is the fact that she has a blood clot in her heart, which if it makes it's way out of her heart it will head for her lungs and cause her to stop breathing. She also has a deep vein clot in her leg, which is very, very large. The doctors can't give her high enough levels of medication to dissolve the clots because it could cause bleeding on her brain, which would be extremely bad. Ande's grandma has asked not to be resuscitated should her condition get to that point.

Please pray for her comfort in the hospital, for wisdom in treatment from her doctors, and for Ande's entire family to have peace beyond all understanding no matter what happens. Pray especially for Ande's mom, as there are some circumstances that are causing her added stress and grief right now. I am also praying that God's will be done in this situation, as I know that everything God does is good, even when it seems bad.

Thanks in advance for the prayers - I am confident that you will heed my request!