Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Every Week Is Not Created Equal

THIS IS WHAT I WAS GOING TO BLOG TODAY:

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 Every week is not created equal.  Sometimes they seem that way when things go along in a routine fashion.  Each week holds a surprise or two.  When you're retired it happens and I love it - but even that begins to be the same. . .

This week is different.  My husband is having hip replacement surgery.  Many thanks to all who keep us in their thoughts and prayers.

There are many things I am thankful for this week.

That my husband is healthy.  Not only in body, but in every way.  He didn't have to fill out the medication form because he doesn't take any, just supplements.

He has many friends, several of them close friends.  They consist of close relationships made over the years: neighbors, co-workers, and church/civic friends.  They share their sorrows and joys on a regular basis.

He is a great father, his two daughters and their husbands and grandchildren love him.  He is a gentle but strong, honest and wise, patient and loving parent, grandparent and husband.

Spiritually he is strong.  He knows Whose he is and where he is going, because of a belief that the same Jesus Christ who died on the Cross for every person, loves him and lives in him by faith.

Hope Orthopedics here in Salem is regionally known and nationally recognized as a top provider of excellence in joint replacement care.  It consists of 12 orthopedic surgeons who join together in 2005 to make this medical procedure more comprehensive and cost effective.

The hospital is 10 minutes away from our home!

Dr. Sewell who will perform the surgery, was born and raised here.  Two of his teachers and other family friends are among our friends and acquaintances.  It helps to know that he holds to high standards ethically as a bonus to being an expert in this field.

This surgery has been around awhile so has become routine.  We can't but think how life would have been like for us if we had lived prior to the ability to have his hip replaced.

No matter the wonderful advances of science or the expertise of medical surgeon and staff, all healing comes from God.  We expect a great outcome in Him!!

Got the walker.  Got the cane.  The sheets are clean.  All bedding is washed.  The family room shampooed.  The area rugs are up.  Need to do the dog. . .

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As it turned out, through a miscommunication about medication, my husband did not have surgery today.  He got as far as pre-surgery pain meds, needles in his arm and leg pumps to keep clots from forming.  We praise God for his protection.  We know it is for a reason.

All the facts remain the same as I wrote here, a little more washing here and there will need to be done.  We've had the dry run - we anticipate the real deal.  We wait to hear when the new surgery date will be.



Monday, June 4, 2012

Mystery in Binary - EBW June Challenge

June Etsy Beadweaver's Challenge theme is 'Mystery'. The winner from April's (Nautical Inspired)  challenge chose it and gave this as the challenge:
"Design a beaded mystery. Could be a symbolic chalk outline from a crime drama, or the tweed pattern from Sherlock Holmes, or a piece from a puzzle, or a simple suggestive clue.  A key to a lost locket, a cypher of a cryptogram, a secret message woven into a work of art.  Make an arcane riddle hidden in the pattern of beads, do a scene from a crime novel.  Make a map with an X marks the spot, or make the jewels be the prize in a treasure hunt, or the one earring dropped by the strange lady in red.  Any idea woven in beads, just be mysterious somehow in its origin.
Mystery novels and drama were my favorites at one time but my interest has waned over time.

Now when I think of a mystery it often is something like, "How can I look all over the house for my car keys when they are right in my hand?" 

 I specialized in computer programming in college, did not do well because I was too busy socializing, but through it all I did learn a thing or two.  In the most basic sense computers can only read whether a switch is off or on.  So every letter and number in any language or numbering system is given a off/on code, called a binary code.  Each letter has 8 off/on digits represented by 0 or 1. 

Now how anyone could have come up with this system and what the system is I will leave a mystery. But it is the mystery that is at the basis of every digital electronic device we have today - a very powerful tool from very basic beginnings. What is not a mystery is that these devices will never be smarter than their creators and they respond according to how they are programmed to respond.

My entry to this month's challenge is a necklace which says "Mystery in Binary" spelled out in binary code:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/101255377/mystery-in-binary-necklace-ebwc.  It consists of oval pearls, the 'on' buttons and black bugle beads, the 'off' buttons. 








https://www.etsy.com/listing/101255377/mystery-in-binary-necklace-ebwc

Here I am wearing it - as you see my right arm is up holding the camera.  My huge disappointment is that I couldn't get those 'off's' and 'on's to stay in line. They wanted to keep wandering. So here it is for better for worse - my entry to June's Etsy Beadweaver's Challenge themed "Mystery".

Entries were due June 5; the public vote is June 9 -16 at http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com/ . 

Please visit and vote for your favorite entry - June 9 - 16!!