A Certain Woman in Eastern Europe

Besides the everyday responsibilities with mom, I am trying to get ready for three upcoming ministry opportunities. This Friday I travel to Antrim, New Hampshire to minister for a ladies retreat at Hillsborough Christian Fellowship. The conference is titled "The Heart of Deborah". It is a very exciting topic/subject and I am really enjoying "digging in" to Judges chapter 4 and 5 and study about Deborah, a mother in Israel, a prophetess and judge. Here is a picture of Will and Denise James who invited me to minister. I appreciate your prayers as I continue to pray and study this week, for Friday as I drive and Friday and Saturday as I minister. Blessings.

Banjo player and Pastor Wally lead worship at Faith Community Bible Church in Fort Plain, NY The warehouse holding the reason this is called the Diaper Church Thanks to monthly transports from Wal-Mart the church is able to reach out to the many single mothers, teenage moms and families in need Ellie, although not a single mom is blessed by the help she gets. She is a special young mom who not only cares for her own 3 children but also her sister's 2 children - Here is Ellie and the 4 under 5!! Her sister is in the military and on deployment. The government does not help with child care. Thanks to the favor of God, this church became the county holding center for all of Walmart's returns, extra, overrides and surplus. It is a huge blessing for this community especially in this economy and in this depressed area. Each person receiving the diapers and other goods also receive information about the church with an invitation to attend. But, no strong arming! In the last year m...

May it be a sweet, tender, touching, old fashioned and fun - hearts, flowers and chocolate weekend with your loved ones - both near and far. Will you be my valentine? With love, misses, kisses and especially....Jilly HUGS!!

For God so lo V ed the world, That He G A ve His on L y Begott E n So N T hat whosoever Believeth I n Him Should Not perish, But have E verlasting life." John 3:16

I am part of an Apostolic team that travels together initially in Ukraine for the past several years and now into other nations. In January part of the team Pastors Paul Berube, New Hampshire, Marlow Dunham, New York and Alan Ross, Scotland were in Myanmar (formerly Burma). I was invited on this trip with them and four medical women but was unable to go due to my committment to mom in New York. Marlow compiled this video report and I wanted to share it with you. Because of our relationships in Myanmar, the door remains open and I believe that in God's timing I will visit this nation. Please pray for Paul and 2 of the nurses as they returned ill and remain so. They are being treated now for parasites. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNrqXxHefPM

Often times when we are heading in the right direction we receive encouragement from on high. Thanks for my new treadmill, Lord. I really appreciate it. I really appreciate You blessing me in this way and I am encouraged to get more exercise!! Thanks for Your care!!

In January I began to get serious about my health. I joined Weight Watchers and considered Curves but wasn't sure I could get someone to committ to stay with mom so I could go out 3 times a week to exercise. My sister in law told me about a treadmill that is pretty compact and even folds up and one night while channel surfing I came upon a QVC program with the very treadmill I was interested in. So, with the clock ticking - they were only going to sell it for 3 more minutes... I picked up the phone and ordered. Within about a week to 10 days the treadmill arrived but when we opened it up there was some broken plastic parts - In the box was return labels and directions in how to return so I packaged it back up and prepared to return it. I called QVC and waited for the freight company to pick up the return and I waited and I waited and I waited. I called again and said I didn't want a new one (by this time I got a person to committ to my "Curves" class). Finally I got a...

The worst of it - the dying to myself, the pulverizing affect of not having "my" life or "a" life. The best of it - the dying, the smell of my flesh burning and the knowing that to God it is a fragrant offering, and a sweet smell of life - resurrection life!! and I am seeing signs of that life in me and in others around me and I sense new growth and stretching and changes and strength in me. On my retreat in January God spoke a number of meaningful, even profound things. First He assured me (and us) of His committment to pour out His abundant GRACE. Grace that is sufficient (2Cor12.9) and more than enough. He continues to underline that "He is my very present help in times of trouble" (Psa 46.1) and that the " mountain" before me was something I needed to climb !! and sometimes I rejoice in the work out! :-) In His infinite wisdom and mercy and loving kindness and goodness He hand picked and designed this situation for me, for my good, for my g...

if there is an "average" day. My "day" usually starts at night :-) - Mom is usually in bed by 9 and when she needs to get up for the bathroom she rings a bell and I come running - or stumbling depending on what time it is :-) The bell is a small brass one with a wooden handle and it belonged to her grandmother who used it when she was bedridden. Sometimes the bell rings every 2 hours, sometimes in 3 hrs and the best night is 5 hours. The worst is when she "forgets" to ring the bell and I "hear" her rustling around. We have a monitor in her room and mine. By 9 am we are at the breakfast table and like to eat and have our second cup of coffee while watching 2 quiz shows. Then it's off to the living room for a nap - (mom not MJ:-) That's when MJ does laundry, the dishes, makes the grocery list etc. Sometimes mom wants lunch most often not. Afternoons we catch our "favorite" show, Millionaire. Then mom might nap or oversee d...

Since I am in the States, I have been invited to minister at a number of places. It seems to be the season for ladies retreats and I will be the guest speaker at retreats in New Hampshire, New York and Gulfport, Mississippi Details to follow

Mom relaxes to watch the football game while Sue knits David and Tim enjoying the game

Mom fell last weekend - we really saw the mercy of God in it but it shook us all up. One minute she was walking with her walker into the next room and the next she pirouetted to the floor. She landed squarely on her left hip and side. I really believe an angel caught her and helped her to the ground as not only was nothing broken but no scraps or bruises. More "coincidences" - my nephew Ryan who is studying to be a doctor and who has worked part-time for 2 years with an ambulance crew just days before received his "medic" certificate. If we had needed an ambulance - he would have attended mom. He had just finished a shift, had come to visit "gram" and had gone home for dinner so when we called he and his dad quickly came. Within a short time the whole family gathered and mom assured us nothing was broken. Brother Tim arrived (from Singapore) on Tuesday for a week and it has been pretty busy with mini family gatherings. Thanks to "Skype" mom has...

I was looking back in my blog postings to see if I could easily find a photo of last year's Super Bowl Tuesday party in Debrecen and I realised that this blog just had it's 2nd birthday. The first blog was posted on January 27th, 2007. So, Happy Birthday!! ....and to the faithful, Thank you for your interest!

My family, and mom especially are great football fans and everyone is looking forward to the big day. Around here (at the Pub) the partying starts around noon time even though kickoff is not until 6.00pm. Even mom is talking about when/ to get the chicken wings. Most of us are backing the Arizona Cardinals. It is their first time at the Superbowl and who doesn't like the underdog. I especially like the fact that their quarterback Kurt Warner (#13) is a sincere Christian, has an amazing personal story and is bold and vocal about his love of Jesus. To be fair the Pittsburgh Steeler's quarterback also glorified the Lord in their win. It was thrilling to hear both! Last year I was in Debrecen for the Superbowl and Syble and I were able to see the game on the following Tuesday at the "American Corner" an organization that promotes goodwill between the US and Hungary. Syble and I were both Giants fans, me because I'm a New Yorker and Syb because Eli Manning was from Mis...

While the world was watching the historic Inauguration of our 44th President, (I did, too) I was busy planning for a mini-escape/break - retreat to the Bershire Mountains. My sister Kathi and her husband Mike offered me their time share and off I went! Because I knew that Pastors Marlow D and Paul B were in Myanmar on a mission trip (I was supposed to go with them) I asked their wives and my dear friends Tonya and Sandy to join me. We were so glad to have some time together!! We laughed and cried and prayed and played and of course....... Shopping Therapy at the nearby Outlet Center! We found great buys at Bath and Body. and eating....... - One night we had seared salmon and this spinach, blueberry, walnut salad with lemon poppy dressing - thank you, Sandy We also enjoyed a meal at a very quaint Greek/Italian restaurant in Lee, MA and even got to see a movie - "Marley & me". I arrived back home feeling so refreshed. The Lord so blessed us and spoke to us and I am...

"Callery announces bid for Fulton County treasurer position" My brother Jim is Johnstown 4th Ward Supervisor, former Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and is now wanting to run for County Treasurer. Since he has announced his intentions he has already received a lot of backing. This position will be up for election in November. You can count on my vote, Jim!!

I am just listening once again to Dr. King's famous "I have a Dream" speech from 1963. (easily found on Yahoo news and on YouTube). It is amazing to hear it today, knowing that tomorrow we will watch the inauguration of America's first African American as President of the United States. We are certainly living in historic times. There has been a very beautiful song written for the inauguration called "America's Song". If you can get to http://www.oprah.com in the next 24 hours you can download it for free in a Mp3 format.

Doing a little happy dance and entering your US numbers in my new LG phone on the Verizon network. It is pretty no frills except it has a great GPS system which I look forward to using for an overnight outing next Tuesday. My number is 518-332-5607. My calls are free after 9pm and weekends to any network, free anytime to Verizon network and have an additional 450 minutes per month. Pretty happy about having a US cell phone! Talk to you soon.

I am really feeling better :-) and so is mom. Thanks to all who wrote, commented and called. Got to shovel for much needed exercise :-). Wanted you to see more of life here. So here is a photo of my bedroom with my beautiful bedspread (much nicer in person) that my brother in Singapore sent me, my sitting room, the painting I brought from "home" in Hungary and the snow banks. We got a few more inches today but at least it is only 30F unlike Alaska which is off the charts cold: -44 in Fairbanks on Sunday. and -54 near there. That makes 30 balmy! And it is now snowing again. Oh, my address here is 17 Cady Street, Johnstown , NY 12095 and the phone number is 518-762-9423. Please be praying that someone will stay with mom so I can go out on a regular basis to get exercise (or find a treadmill) and that we both continue sleeping - it makes such a HUGE difference. The Lord encouraged me with this scripture today: 1 Cor 16.13,14 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be str...