Life . . .

National Quartet Convention (NQC) has come and gone.  I was able to go and enjoy three days of it this year.  I missed the last two years and so it was awesome to be there again to see all my friends (both other fans and the artists).  I received a lot of encouragement and I pray I encouraged others as well.  I heard some really good music!  It was fun going around to the artist’s booths and surprising them with my being at NQC again. 

On Monday evening, I was going around to the booths and had talked to a few artists and then an older couple stopped me and asked me a question.  We talked for awhile and learned a few things about one another.  I wished them a wonderful week and we went our separate ways.  I saw them again later in the evening and went to talk to them and we talked for a bit and I found out they were in their 80’s and then was thanked for talking to “old people” cause it made them feel good.  Turned out that I saw them on Tuesday and Wednesday as well.  I know it was a God thing that we saw each other as we did! 

Enjoy some good Southern Gospel music (http://www.solidgospel.com is a good source). Have a blessed day!

Here is the long overdue promised completed picture of the 5000 piece puzzle that I completed a year ago and just this week got covered with a glaze and hung on the wall.  Because of the glaze, it’s hard to get a picture of without a reflection of a flash or other lights shining on it - so forgive the flash spot in the middle of the puzzle.  I am enjoying viewing the complete puzzle which is hanging on the wall in my scrapbooking / craft area.

Yeah, I’m still alive, just not keeping up with mosting updates very often.  Seems I think about doing it and get started on it only to close it up and never complete it.  I will try to finish this note and get it posted to the website for whoever wants to know about me can read it. 

Well, things changed on the job situation and at this point, I’m still at the place where I was leaving back at the end of April.  I’m still a bit unsure about what is going on with all that. 

As far as things going for me with the bipolar and depression, things are better in some ways and in others they are worse and I don’t understand why.  I am finally, I believe, on some better meds for me and I actually have motivation and energy, at times anyway, to work on things and get things done.  On the other hand, I am so tired most all the time and could fall asleep rather quickly, which is frightening and frustrating both depending on where I am and what I am trying to do.  The doctor said that falling asleep part of things is depression but I haven’t been totally convinced about that being the case.  But recently, I did realize that I think I am more depressed again about life and things than I had been for awhile and so it really may have something to do with my sleep patterns recently and waking up by 4 or 5 every morning and then being so tired throughout the day. 

I am grateful for the fact that I have been able to function better despite the tiredness issue and that I actually feel like doing things again that I haven’t in a very long time.  I have gone to several concerts in the past couple months and it was great to see people I haven’t seen in a couple years.  I also finally finished getting my large 5000 piece puzzle ready to hang on the wall.  It looks pretty good!!  I pulled out the scrapbook I’m working on for my one nephew and actually did a couple pages in it last night (first in about 1 1/2 years that I did any scrapbookking, which I used to do all the time). 

Thank you Jesus for helping me feel better and actually feel like doing things that I once found pleasure in doing a lot more of than I do now. 

Oh yeah, in my getting out a bit more to Southern Gospel Concerts again, I’ve gotten asked about where I’ve been - if you go back through my entries, you will be able to see what has been going on with me and why I haven’t been out and about much.  I miss seeing my artist friends as much as they miss seeing me and if any of you are reading this, know that Lord-willing, I will be at NQC this year for Monday thru Wednesday and I hope to be able to see most all of y’all during that time.  Last night a friend of mine went to see Down East and passed on a greeting from me to the group and I ended up getting a surprise phone call from Jason and it truly was very nice to hear from him and talk to him for a little bit.  Thanks Jason and thanks Marilyn for passing along the greeting. 

Here is a verse that has become special to me in the last 5 years:

Isaiah 42:16 MSG
But I’ll take the hand of those who don’t know the way,
who can’t see where they’re going.
I’ll be a personal guide to them,
directing them through unknown country.
I’ll be right there to show them what roads to take,
make sure they don’t fall into the ditch.
These are the things I’ll be doing for them -
sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute.