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Janalu,

A beautiful prayer. I am going to copy it and repeat it nightly if you don't mind.

12/20/20 05:59 PM

#19687

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Not at all, Steve.

I liked it too.

12/20/20 07:25 PM

#19688

Lowell Tuttle

Here's another good one..l

God of all nations,
Father of the human family,
we give you thanks for the freedom we exercise
and the many blessings of democracy we enjoy
in these United States of America.

We ask for your protection and guidance
for all who devote themselves to the common good,
working for justice and peace at home and around the world.

We lift up all our duly elected leaders and public servants,
those who will serve us as president, as legislators and judges,
those in the military and law enforcement.
Heal us from our differences and unite us, O Lord,
with a common purpose, dedication, and commitment to achieve liberty and justice
in the years ahead for all people,
and especially those who are most vulnerable in our midst.

Amen

12/21/20 07:15 AM

#19689

I like both of the prayers, especially the prayer for unity.

In the political world, though, it seems that a plea for unity essentially means, "You need to agree with me. If you disagree with me, you are divisive."

Since the mainstream media and entertainment are overwhelmingly Democrat, Democrats will always be lauded as uniters, and Republican derided as dividers.

12/21/20 09:47 AM

#19690

Lowell,

I liked your prayer. However, no prayer is complete if not prayed in Jesus' name.

12/21/20 10:10 AM

#19691

Jan Alexander

To Steveo, My favorite , extreme right, rotten , oil loving ,repub.. You always bring me joy................................................except for a few times

These guys look like a happy ,quarantine kind of bunch..

12/21/20 06:48 PM

#19692

Just looked at Saturn and Jupiter. Very close visually, though very far away. Above the horizon in the southwest. You need to use binoculars to see two separate objects. Very cool.

12/21/20 09:55 PM

#19693

Jan Alexander

I popped into the forum posting my oil rig Christmas song for Steve... and now I am reading the previous posts ..... I guess now you have to decide if I am a uniter or a divider..

Actually, I cross posted on both forums. On the other forum, Steve cracked a joke about my soup recipe with oil as an ingredient. ...so I saw this cute song that fit the bill for Christmas spirit..for Mr. Steveo... for he does make us/me laugh..thought it was cute to post it here too.

The reason I never post anymore... it is always something.

Merry Christmas ... !

12/22/20 01:24 AM

#19694

Beautiful decorations, David.

You make us look like slugs. Probably because we are.

But we kind'a sorta have an excuse.

It was about mid-September when we realized the dishwasher had been leaking. By then it was too late so we had to replace replace kitchen cabinets, wood flooring etc, ultimately deciding...why not an extensive remodel? Why not gut the entire kitchen, 3.5 baths, the den, utitlity room, foyer, redecorate the guest suite and add a fireplace?

"This" I said "will be fun!"

I'm not so sure it'll be 'fun' replied the love of my life "but if that's what you want..."

"This" has not been fun. "This" has been awful. Lol Apparently we weren't the only ones who decided to remodel during Covid. (Good) contractors nearly impossible to find.

Here we are three months later still waiting on contractors who've finished less than half the work. Only tonight do we finally have a working kitchen. Not completed kitchen Only a "working" kitchen as in finally... counter tops, sink, faucet and running water.

But even if we weren't in the middle of a remodel, our decorations wouldn't look as good as yours'. Toss a couple of poinsettias on the porch. Wrap lights around a couple of trees. Hang last year's Christmas wreath on the door and we're done! Merry Christmas, David.

12/22/20 01:28 AM

#19695

With our only child 1600 miles away in so cal and friends wisely hunkering down instead of socializing, were it not for Hallmark Christmas movies I do not know how we’d have survived the Christmas season as long as we have.

Speed forward to this evening where my beloved husband and I have watched more Hallmark Christmas movies than either are willing to admit, each time wondering:

If that’s real snow why do the women wear camisoles under an open jacket? Wouldn't a turtleneck be warmer?

If it’s really freezing cold, why can’t we see their breath when they’re talking?

Why does every plot involve an attractive inn keeper despondent over unpaid bills rescued by an equally attractive real estate developer, the latter who blows into town offering millions and millions (maybe billions) to buy the aging (but charming) snow covered inn ultimately falling in love with the despondent inn keeper ultimately tossing plans to level the aging (but charming) snow covered inn, instead deciding "this" is where he/she was meant to be !?

How can the same formulaic plot with the same 14 actors churn out 635 desultory Christmas movies?

Better question: why are we lame enough to watch?

Even better question: what took us so long to find the Hallmark Christmas Movie Drinking Game?

Merry Covid Christmas, everyone. May God bless and be with you and yours throughout the New Year and every year to follow.

12/22/20 09:45 PM

#19696

Part I

Only with permission am I sharing a text from my cherished bff, Martha Mize Mareth.

I’ve loved Martha Mize Mareth since first meeting her at Richardson Height’s Elementary. Among the reasons I love her is a rapier wit; one sharp, dry and cerebrally piercing wit exquisitely packaged in dulcet tone.

I love Martha for her ability to forgive--a trait too rare yet essential to a life well-lived. Essential to a life both grounded and happy.

I love Martha for sharing her late father, Robert, a brilliant nuclear physicist with me; a man whose warmth was as radiant as his mind. A man who welcomed a little Jewish girl into his family as his own. A man inspiring Martha's love for the Jewish faith--ulltimately making her more knowledgeable that I will ever be. A man who-- in death-- gave us the gift of forever friendship.

I love Martha for her heart. Her compassion. Her humility. And that’s what prompted my request asking her if it would be okay to share her text with classmates? Although the subject dire, Martha responded with her usual sharp wit, blessing my request. So here goes.

PREFACE

Once upon a time there was a world-wide pandemic unequivocally dangerous. Unequivocally non-partisan. Unequivocally deadly in some cases. An equal opportunity predator whose R0 number (albeit mechanical opposed to static tool) is sobering.

But simultaneous to problematic R0 number and mounting evidence for interestingly in addition were well-intentioned people who believed Covid-19 was no less (or as not as serious a threat) as the flu. These well-intentioned people compared the number of Covid-19 deaths to fatal car accidents. I understood because over and over I’d told myself the same thing. I told myself “Covid-19 can’t be that bad because the majority of cases are mild.” But deep within I knew better. I knew because as a seasoned investigative journalist committed to working below the radar in pursuit of the truth, I took no prisoners.

I knew because years earlier I’d turned my scope from drug cartels and organized crime to investigating health care providers and leading hospitals. (Tragically among them are those who are just as frightening). No matter how hard I tried to convince myself Covid-19 is no worse than the flu and relatively speaking—Covid19 numbers aren’t all that bad, but deep within I knew better.

I knew this because (on the promise of anonymity) nurses, doctors, pharmacists, surgeons and hospital executives talk to me. They opened up to questions I never dreamed they would actually answer. Even then was occasional temptation to believe social isolating had been blown out of proportion. Cont.

12/22/20 10:30 PM

#19697

Part II

Then came a text from my beloved Martha whose prayer request put a face on Covid-19. To that end is a copy below of her text from earlier today.

First, one more thing:

As always, I take prayer requests seriously. I simply do not know how to jump right in babbling a few heartfelt words and getting on with the day. Or night. To that end I asked Martha for more information. I ~~wanted~~ needed to know a little more about the man for whom I would continue praying. In response she sent a photo of 36-year-old Garrett, a previously healthy, football- framed young attorney, beloved husband and father of two small children who tonight lay tethered to life support fighting for every breath-- because of Covid-19.

I printed the photo of Garrett and held it in my hand...thinking. Thinking, "if someone were to ask “what do you think is the most difficult thing to do?” I’d answer: pray for “God’s will to be done.”

From the humanistic perspective, I don't necessarily want God's will to be done. I want my will to be done. I don’t people to die. I don’t want any living creature to suffer. Or fall prey to abuse. My heart breaks knowing any living creature is grieving. Or continues to grieve long after his/her loss.

I'm not a snowflake. Those who know me best would tell you I am legendary for striking fear into the heart anyone spineless enough to render an injustice, cruelty and abuse. So it only makes sense I’m often tempted to pray for God to “do it my way. Please."

But stopping me in my tracks each time is the voice of reason; God’s voice telling me to trust Him. God's voice reminding me “life is a tapestry.” Viewed from the bottom all we see are nonsensical, dark, tangled, knotted threads. From His perspective, top of the tapestry, is profound beauty; a meticulously orchestrated weave of golden threads made of silk. An intricate pain-staking grid of jewel tone colors, together as magnificent as essential.

Please join Martha and me in prayer (or simply acknowledgement) for 36-year-old Garrett, a man who may or may not survive. Either way a man whose life we can only hope serves to enlighten and inspire. Thanking you in advance.

12/23/20 12:43 AM

#19698

David,

I am aghast that Jupiter and Saturn have failed to follow the Covid-19 guidelines. Now my fears have come right down to Earth because now all the planets might get it. This Mars a perfectly good Solar System. I hear it could even attack Uranus when a Moon is present. That really makes my Mercury go up. At least Venus might be masked with Mist. Hopefully a Comet Vaccine will arrive to save us in time. Now that Dr. Fauci has been innoculated, I recommend we put him in orbit to Monitor the Science.

12/23/20 07:31 AM

#19699

Lowell Tuttle

Steve, et al here....I don't want to poke the bear, but I wonder if Trump might have changed the outcome if he had supported a Covid relief stimiulus payment of 2000 per person BEFORE the election.

What a shitshow.

On another note, (locally) my Abbott Alert yesterday discussed several subjects...Congratulations to Drew Springer, DPS efforts going forward to assist the Austin Police, A welcome message to Elon Musk, A stern warning about prosecuting election fraud here in Texas, and an Abbott family message for a Merry Christmas.

The alert was absent any Covid 19 hospitalization rate, count, warning, urging of safety precaustions Texans need to adhere...It was an obvious omission by my take.

We have just two for Christmas. Susie is taking our leftovers to her brother (in the Heights) porch, and our son is only dropping by to pick up his (new residence) gifts.

12/23/20 08:17 AM

#19700

Martha Mize (Mareth)

Holly, Thank you for all your kind words about me and my dad. Yes, he was a wonderful man and father, and that is another reason why I asked for your prayers for Garrett, his two little girls need him. I cannot imagine what my life would have been like without a Dad.

Holly, I knew when I found out about this young man, Garrett, hanging on to life by a thread that I needed to do everything possible to help him. You have an extremely close relationship with G-d and I knew I had to contact you immediately for your prayers. And as usual, you have followed through in spades.

Holly, I have sent copies of your texts and your posts on this forum to my children. You have given them strength and encouragement.

Holly, I am thankful to have had you as a friend ever since we moved to Richardson in 1960. I had not seen you since 1969, and out of the blue, you showed up at my father's funeral in 2006. You will never know what that meant to me. Just one of many many examples of you being a true friend.

If you 69er could please take a few moments to pray for Garrett, I would be most appreciative. He was on the Ventilator, but now he is on the EMCO machine, which is a heart-lung machine which acutally takes the blood out of the body, puts oxygen into the blood, then returns it to the body.

I will keep you posted on his status. Thank you.

12/23/20 08:45 AM

#19701

Martha,

Prayed for Garrett last night right after praying for healing for the country and for Sandra's mom.

12/23/20 10:10 AM

#19702

Steve and Lance,

You are both excellent at plays on words.

Martha, prayers for Garrett and family.

I think I have mentioned on these electronic pages that classmate Carla Peters Byrom caught COVID-19 early on while on a tour of NASA with some tourists from Wuhan!

Our cleaning lady's husband had it a few months ago, and he is still having problems. I think he has had permanent lung damage. Now her daughter has it. The daughter is a translator, or something, for Richardson ISD. They are from El Salvador, and our cleaning lady is adamantly against illegal immigration.

12/23/20 10:18 AM

#19703

Bob Davidson

Martha -- you have my prayers for everyone involved. This awful year is almost over and most of us have made it through, with losses and pain.

Holly -- your comments moved me deeply. Thank you.

12/23/20 03:46 PM

#19704

Part I:

Bob,

Like Windows running in the background, you're always on my mind. In my heart too. Prescience. That eerie inexplicable prescience we share. Shortly after my posts last night I started getting ready for bed. For me, getting ready for bed is the start of a marathon beauty routine.

Stay with me here. Do NOT fall asleep. Otherwise you'll miss the point of my spelling out my pre-bed beauty routine.

4 mins: Sonicare brushing teeth

30 secs: swishing anti-plaque rinse.

60 secs: floss around every -single- tooth. Twice.

2 mins: massage Sulwashoo cleansing oil all over face.

30 secs: 30 quick splash rinses

And, because in the words of the great orator, Christie Brinkley, “If you want radiant smooth skin “Exfoliate. Exfoliate. Exfoliate." (Ha! I knew that before Christie Brinkley had even met Billy Joel!)

3-4 mins: Following Sulwashoo cleansing oil, Cetafil Gentle Facial Foaming cleanser, gently exfoliating using facial loofa.

5 mins: to air dry. (no towels on face)

1 min: application (elixir for youthful skin!) Retin A or retinoid product. Neutrogena makes one that packs a lot of punch at an affordable price) I use prescription pharmaceutical compound packing stealth combination of Retin A, hydrolonic acid and cosmeceutical grade emollients. (Not as expensive as it sound but does require doctor's prescription.

15 secs; Latisse on lashes

15 secs Clé de Peau Beauté Eye Cream (reportedly Olay Regenerist works just as well).

5 secs: Nuxe Paris's Reve De Miel Ultra Nourishing Lip Balm (cheaper than the name implies).

15 or so mins: Shower w/ Bath and Body Work’s Japanese Cherry Blossom Moisturizing Body Wash. * *Gently exfoliate head to toe ( extra attention to elbows, knees, feet. Butt, too. (Never know when you might end up in the ER. (Right there and then I would die were I to overhear a doctor nurse say, " Interesting. She appears nice and trim, undoubtably physically fit but those knees, feet and butt could have used a little more exfoliating."

10 mins: Moisturize head to toe with Dr. Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (Walmart sells for $12. )

5 or so mins: Seal coconut oil head to toe with Bath and Body Works Japanese Cherry Blossom Body Butter.

2 secs: quick fragrance spritz, Jo Malone London Pear Freesia

15 secs: OPI Pro Spa Nail and Cuticle Oil.

I know. I know because I know you. You’re thinking “wth does THAT have to do with me? Well. If you’ll pipe down a minute, I’ll tell you.

12/23/20 04:02 PM

#19705

Part II:

Everything. Everything, Bob, because from the moment I finished posting last night and started getting ready for bed I thought of you the entire time. Heavy, heavy on my mind was your brother Kirk. Throughout my 1,498-step nightly beauty routine, my heart, mind and every brain cell was with God, Kirk and you. you

Throughout my 1,498 step neurotic nightly beauty routine was also guilt. I felt terrible having failed to ask for prayers for you and Kirk, your beloved brother.

Please forgive me, Bob. Somehow, I know that you know you mean the world to me. Therefore, so do your loved ones. I wasn’t thinking and I’m so sorry.

Something I want to say. (Brief, I promise). But 2 hours ago I also promised RJ I’d be ready to walk out the door with him. Since awakening early this morning, tumbling around in my mind are the words I want to say on behalf of you, Kirk, Martha, Garette and anyone who is hurting. Anyone whose sadness, grief, loneliness or all three.

I just cannot get the words to gel. But I will. The words will come to me.

For the moment, along with my apology to Bob a heartfelt request of classmates asking is any classmate reading to pray for Bob’s brother Kirk Davidson. Similar to Garette (whose name I’ve misspelled ¾ o the time) Kirk is in the hospitals, his body tormented by Crohn’s disease.

Kirk’s been in the hospital since December 7^th with no release date in sight. He’s endured 7 surgeries r/t Crohn’s. There will be no more surgeries. There will be no surgeries because it’s too dangerous. Kirk’s body cannot endure it. Yet where skin, muscle and tissue used to be lay his skeletal body, wholly dependent on medicine and prayer.

Everyone, please pray. If prayer isn’t your thing I understand. Loving uplifting thoughts for Kirk and Bob, the latter, understandably devastated, will do.

12/23/20 04:03 PM

#19706

Part III:

Bob: almost forgot. Lest you wonder why I threw in brand names for my 1,498 step pre-bed beauty routine, think back a few weeks ago, when you, a man’s man sort of guy, had no idea what to buy a woman for her birthday.

Remember how I volunteered a handful of ideas at least TWO WEEKS BEFORE that Saturday night when you dashed out the door (clearly waiting till the last minute) to Bath and Body Works, jammed packed with women?

Remember how a couple (or more than just a couple) of the shorter ones didn’t hesitate to ask you to retrieve this and that from the top shelf?

Remember how, more than once you snapped pic texting to ask "is this the right on

Remember how, finally, with purchase in hand you flew out the door faster than a Dalmatian could possibly respond to a fire bell?

I rest my case. Keep my pre-bed beauty routine in a safe place. Better yet, secure in a safety deposit box in case anything happens to me. Next time you need to buy a gift for a woman gift her with one or two of the products listed and whether you like it not, she’ll never let go of you.

I love you to the moon and back. The whole universe, actually.

12/23/20 04:43 PM

#19707

Such a failure. Total failure, here. Lol Not only did I fail to ask prayers last night for Bob Davidson and his brother who is very ill, I said I'd post excerpted emails b/t Martha and me. But didn't.

Reason for posting is because Martha's initial text was a gut punch. I knew it was hurriedly written. I knew too, her heart must have been pounding. Scant yet powerful and emotive. At the same time, evidence of Martha's unique ability to embrace humor in the darkest of storms.

1st text from Martha: December 22 2020

Holly,

Have a favor to ask. Please pray for Garret a 36 year-old lawyer who’s a friend of Emily’s husband Garrett’s the friend of my daughter’s husband in Montgomery AL. Today he’s on life-support due Covid hanging on to life by a thread.

I know you have a close connection with God devout in prayer, so please please please pray for Garret. I NEED you to do this. Please please please. Thank you thank you thank you

(*editing note: Emily is Martha’s eldest daughter of three children)

Cont.

12/23/20 04:49 PM

#19708

Excerpted thread between Martha and me later same day December 22

Holly

just left vm. Yes! We will live next door to each other before die. Might be in a state mental hospital but we'll be together till the end.

Just heard from Emily. Said since Garette's been in the hospital, they’re not saying much. Every day they say the same thing. This evening said "he had a good day." First positive crumb we’ve had but he’s still on ventilator!

How can you have a good day on a ventilator?! Because you didn’t die? Guess we’ll have to take what we can get. Thank you for asking classmates for prayers. Garette and his family need prayers prayers prayers. Thank you for praying for me too. Any one of us or someone we love could be next.

Martha

Don’t worry. We won’t end up in a state mental hospital. But if we do we’ll be together and boy will we have fun! We’d have fun even if we were too senile to recognize each other. Every day we'd look at each other excited because we made a new friend!"

Real quick: nurse speak translation: first, critical care unit diff than ICU. Do you know to which Garrett was admitted? Assuming he's ICU (unless coronary secondary event) so "he had a good day" usually means void of complication(s).

Complication(s) can be isolated, sequential or simultaneous. Anything from elevated liver enzymes to arterial/venous thromboembolism, hemorrhagic stroke cardiomyopathy, a-fib...list goes on and on. BUT good news is Garret “had good day.” That means there’s hope. Also means he still needs all the prayers and/or positive vibes he can get. Try not to worry buttercup. He's young, his team knows what they're doing and he'll fight for every breath.

Diff subj: Mrs. Lomax's class couldn't have been for the dumb kids because you were in it, right? I know I was. Lol

12/23/20 07:13 PM

#19709