Way back when AOL was the "only" way to connect online, I and others enjoyed getting to know people from all over the United States, and sometimes, even from other places... Of course, many became connected because we were interested in writing...and books! One of the men I got to know was Don. I always thought of him as my Grizzly Adams, with a smile... Don't know who that is? Well, fortunately, we can still enjoy him even these days!
Somehow, we connected as a small group of those involved with publishing. Don lived way out in Oregon and did indeed live out in the woods, just like, ironically, I do now, even though I think he lived much further away from main roads. LOL I remember that I at least got to "see" him one time since he was then acting in a local, I think, Elizabethan fair where he was performing... I thought...in costume, which he was, but I didn't realize that his costume really was exactly how he looked...full beard and all! That's when I first thought of him as Grizzly Adams, a television show that was popular in "those" days... Google says that would have been in the late seventies--1970s!
We were soon emailing each other and that is the main reason I'm talking about it. I wanted to at least share one of those letters that I just found hidden away in old papers... It is a pleasant memory for me and, I hope, those who happen to read it...
There were three stars in the eastern sky when I turned and headed home. I had stayed too long.
It was a nice up in the backwaters of the lake. It is a long canyon that used to be part of the Rouge River. I had pulled the boat onto a gentle beach and walked up a side canyon.
Quiet and cold and dark under the big trees. When I heard an owl I turned back to the boat. I started back up the long arm of the lake, navigating by the few lights on the canyon rim. Quiet, I could hear the water hissing under the canvas skin of the boat. The long, thin oars were making little or no noise. I could hear geese flying over head but could not see them.
I had a long time to think. The hour and a half of rowing felt good and I could only hope that I wouldn't hit any floating object in the inky black water. There was enough light to see the canyon walls and keep the boat to mid channel.
So much of what I do and enjoy is done with no company. I would love to share the sights and sounds and smells of my adventure with a friend.
There are many places to leave a footprint. Shores on which to ground a boat. Mountains to climb. Places to swim and feel sand between the toes.
They are all better shared with a friend.
djf 16 December 1997
Don and I met just once. He had another trip scheduled back to this side of the nation. He wanted to stop by... When he called me, he was in Morgantown... But I couldn't figure out where he possibly could be... He was in Morgantown, PA. I was in Morgantown, WV... He came on, but we didn't have much time together and didn't connect once he was back home except briefly. I remember he apologized and said he really wasn't that dumb, or something like that, to have driven to the wrong state... I felt sad, but, still, a fond memory came back to me when I found this email...
I fell in love with his voice...We had talked a lot on the phone and I could tell why he was an actor...His voice was made to be shared with an audience...even if it was just...me... But, you know, he really was "country" and I, a "city girl..." and we both knew that we lived entirely different lives. Still, now, as I live among the trees, with, maybe not bears, but deer, 'coons, 'possums and lots of cats outside, I find that peace, that connection with nature that I knew when I was younger.
I would go off by myself, either up the back road to sit on a large rock behind where we went to grade school, and watch the traffic down below, which would be passing in front of my home... Or, I would walk the railroad tracks across from my home and overlooking the river...or go down underneath the railroad track bridge and sit for hours, watching the river flow by... There was a damn nearby and in those days, we could walk along the riverside down to where it was... One other favorite, longer walk, would go on a country road that went along an creek offshoot of the river. There used to be long vines on which we could swing when we were young... I would walk there with my sister or go watch a ball game in which my brother played in a field back then...
Lots of times, we would just take an old blanket and lie under the big pear tree of our home, looking up to where apple trees grew in what we called the orchard...
And, just like Don talked about when he wrote to me, I was glad, for awhile, that I did have a friend back then. His name was Kenny and he was a neighbor boy whose aunt and uncle lived above our house. He once brought me a kitten from the farm where he helped his uncle... It was my first kitten...and I don't think I have ever been without a cat except for a short time, since then...
And as I write, I also remember the time I, too, went down the rapids...but that deserves another page...some day! Meanwhile, let's listen to the words of Grizzly Adams, as, he, too, enjoyed being out in God's wonderful gifts for us to enjoy...
Vacation Bible School was our Summer Fun and Learning Time!
Some of the videos are newer and are sometimes slightly different from what I learned...But fun and exciting to learn about Jesus!
Who Could Have Known? Yes, I'd thought about writing in the past, but just couldn't bring myself to do so. I've had somewhat of an unusual life, I think... Certainly, not a "traditional" woman's role in our culture.
I was born in March, which makes me a Pisces. I never paid too much attention to the daily horoscope business, but had at one time, began to consider the attributes assigned each sign, as I met and wanted to get to know people. Perhaps my being interested in knowing myself, and in relation to other people, was driven by the family structure into which I was born.
My mother, Dorothy Lorraine Ellenberger Bixler, was carrying me, her fourth child when my father, Glenn, was killed in a mine accident, kicked by a horse who was pulling coal out from under ground, apparently. For whatever reason, none of the immediate family, my Mother; two sisters, Delores Arlene, and Nellie Marlene; and one son, Wilbur Keith. never talked about my Father. I don't think it was intentional, but merely the routine activities that were demanded in those days, just to respond to basic household or work requirements.
For me, it was a vacuum--a picture, the only one I've ever seen, of a tall, big man, in whom I could see a resemblance. to myself. Early in life, I was the latest child to become involved with the Baptist Church. We were all active in church, singing or playing the piano. I was baptized at Age 13. The only thing I really remember about being in church were all the children's songs, and then hymns routinely sung any time the door was open.
I remember that one minister, Reverend Bable and his wife usually came for Sunday dinner. We always had chicken and homemade noodles. My mother was a great cook and we all enjoyed our Sunday, and favorite, dinner. But, with it came vivid memories!
Chicken Backs and Necks - 5 cents a pound! There was a store just on the outskirts of Uniontown which would feature sales occasionally... Gabbie Asks: Have any of you ever seen a chicken back or neck, little on eat one? LOL Actually there are some very good pieces of meat there...But consider cleaning pounds and pounds of them all at one time?! Yikes! They were an excellent base for the Sunday dinner... Chicken and Noodles, homemade style!
And, another vivid memory, although I'm not sure where Mom actually obtained a live chicken or two once in a while... Well, she had a butcher knife--one I might even still have today--and she'd go out on our back porch, grab the legs of a chicken, turn it upside down so that the wings fell out and around that squawking bird, and she'd take that butcher knife...and calmly slit its throat... Did I tell you that Mom was a "real" country girl!?
We were on social security which covered all of us, from death benefits. My Mother worked as an LPN for local neighbors, helping with meds, shots... She also cleaned house for a dentist who lived across the street. And at night she was usually ironing.
Thought it would be fun to share the mangle Mom used was used. It sat in the corner of the kitchen, had a flat board rather than a round one. My guess is that, when she began to work for the Hagers, their piece of equipment was relocated to our home... A couple of things related to this family. Mrs. Hager (known as Dick, for some reason) was the second grade school teacher in our community. While Dr. Hager's work was in Morgantown, WV, he did provide total dental care, free, for our family! Additionally, it was he who sponsored my brother to attend The Masonic School for Boys, in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Needless to say, we became very close as friends.
If you were paying attention, you should immediately have realized that it seemed my Mother was always working, even cleaning the church where we attended! To this day, we continue to be amazed that she worked so hard to provide as a single parent of four children.
And, each of us came to know the work ethic, which we later all shared, as well as the tendency to work long hours, first, in taking care of our home, while Mom was working, and taking on small jobs to earn money to help. My brother sold Grit a weekly family-oriented newspaper (which I later took over when he went away to school). I also carried water for an elderly couple and received a nickel for each bucket carried. It was a fairly long route for a young girl to travel. But, they ran a little ice cream shop and having them as our neighbors brought forth delicious treats! Mr. Davis gave me my first nickname, Whitey, since my hair was so white in those days.
Few memories of events or activities come to mind. Except that sometime when I was old enough to take on chores, I was responsible for dusting the entire house. My sister Dee did the sweeping and overall cleaning of all rooms, while my oldest sister, had kitchen duty, which not only included cleaning, but also to cook and prepare meals for the following week...
I sang all the time--in church, at home to our grand piano...and then I started to pick out different parts of a song, singing an octave higher or lower...Duets with my sister came quickly... I took piano lessons, but really didn't care to pursue it further than to be able to become a part-time backup pianist for the various churches. or for other activities I've attended throughout my life.
Fun...Laying on a blanket under the big pear tree...
Playing with cousin Barbie Sue...using a lace curtain as a wedding veil. She was always the bride...
Early on career choice for me was secretary. After Marlene who had really wanted to be a nurse until she actually got into its reality. She then took a business school secretarial course. It was great to discover that, because I had always wanted to be a secretary, and had chosen the commercial business course in school, I was totally prepared to take on a job, equal to that my sister took, after having gone to business school... My first job was at the school from which I had graduated in 1963, Albert Gallatin Senior High School. I was Salutatorian; i.e., second in my total class of over 300...and first of those graduating within the business course curriculum.
After a summer job at the school, I tested for work at West Virginia University, was hired by the Personnel Office who had administered my tests, as a Records Clerk, on July 18, 1963.
You may not know that my hip surgery was only the second time I've ever been hospitalized. So, you might think of me as an observer of a new experience. Also, you should know that I'm old enough to remember when a GP was the primary contact person for all things medical. Personally, I liked it that way, because the doctor got to know the patient. On the other hand, I can perfectly understand that if we want to continue, any type of medical advancement, it requires specialized training and experience.
One thing I did yesterday was ask somebody a question, just because they were on my contact team list. Duh... I didn't think I should go directly to Dr. Murphy. to whom I am so very grateful for using his training, experience and, most important, his dedication to helping to heal others, to discuss some basic issues for me. That only showed MY inexperience, as opposed to feeling my surgeon didn't need to be involved. For him, I am eternally grateful! You will read often that pain level went down from a 10 to a 2 within the hours of the surgery. I call that a Miracle!
I was asked, before my surgery, what my goal was for afterwards. I said, to be able to walk again without a cane or walker support... With all that is happening, I'm even, maybe, broadening that goal to be able to dance!
Gabbie says: That would really be a miracle, since I never learned how to dance, except for Belly Dancing--which is another story for another day! LOL
So Yesterday, I had my second visit with my surgeon...and two weeks have gone by... Everything still looks good...
But Along the Way, which is often the case, some Bad came within my overall great experience. It all involved bad communication. But I've been in the business of dealing with interactive communication for most of my life...So I'm fairly calm about it, as long as I can see how and why the problem(s) occurred.
So one of the bad issues arising was mixed communications from, including me, so that I've wound up with a leg that feels like it weighs...about 16 Tons! (not really true)...due to leg swelling. Again, overall I'm still excited about being able to once again walk, even still with a walker for fall prevention! Cool, right?!
But then, during this time period, the devastating reality of life in America which happens again and again! THE UGLY! And there was no way, even within the euphoria of feeling God's presence in my life through a fairly serious medical experience, could I stay there. The Ugly had raised its power Again, And, Again...and Again! Americans, including children, being murdered, this time, on a daily basis!
During this past month, Serial killings have occurred...
every single DAY!
When in God's Name...
Over 900 incidents on School Grounds
Stores, Churches...ANYWHERE Can be Killing Fields!
GABBIE SAYS: For me, Abortion, (Child) Abuse, Guns, ARE
Inextricably MERGED in my mind. I believe Joe Biden is in his position right now because He is the one God has Chosen to give us One Last Chance... He is a man of God, who refuses to accept that He can be criticized for believing in The Right of Choice by Women for all medical issues. Yes, that includes aborting fetuses.
BEFORE arguments start, I have to ask... How can conservatives be supposedly Pro Life--against abortion under any reasons--and still refuse to even CONSIDER the MAJOR concerns of Gun Safety that is a top problem issue for the majority of Americans?
God Must be Very Confused with this Forked Tongue conservative approach regarding, especially children... For, other than the constant barrage of rants and raves about wanting to control how women choose to be medically involved with their bodies,
They also are unwilling to even consider the fact that hundreds of thousands of children are murdered by guns, stolen and placed into human trafficking situations, and, even worse, not having enough to eat to live... This is a World-Wide Situation. Yet it is ALWAYS THE REPUBLIC PARTY WHO STOPS AND/OR WON'T EVEN ALLOW POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS PROPOSED IN CONGRESS TO REACH THE FLOOR FOR ACTION.
ALERT TO ALL WOMEN: Do you realize that there is not even 10 Republican Senators, who will join with the Democratic Party to Work Toward Implementation of Gun Safety Policies? That is a fact as of today! For the Love of God, I hope that changes before this is too late for ACTION RIGHT NOW!
... For when and if it is required. Joe Biden is a Man of Love for all Humanity. If he is failing for some who have individual concerns, then just realize just who is stopping what he promised. The present Senate Republicans in Congress, who consistently refuses to support actions that the majority of people in America want...and NEED.. to have changed in our Country. They constantly choose what they, each individual republican, needs or wants to have done in order to continue to remain in office, even when the majority of Americans are negatively affected by their personal self-interest. This, folks, is exactly why we all know that The Republican Party Has Changed So Drastically, That They Are No Longer Working to Respond to the majority of the people of the Nation.
Right now, although I had a plan of action to share with all of you of God's Love, I feel that He has given me the burden...I Must Bear Witness to what I've seen happening just within the last five years, yes, at the appointment of a Republican president that has done so much damage--and still is--to our basic expectation of a government is, and must be, Of The People, For the People...So Help Us God! I bear witness to the reality that people who call themselves conservative, and who participated in the January 6th Insurrection...are now on the Ballot in States like Pennsylvania where a man who breached the Capitol, and recorded, is now running for Congress... In Florida, members of The Proud Boys--those who Trump spoke to, saying "Stand Back... are working to get involved in many ways... Marjorie Greene is still spouting conspiracy theories and gaining supporters with her toting gun republican noise, while SHE IS NOT NOW SERVING IN ANY CAPACITY IN THE CONGRESSIONAL SEAT INTO WHICH SHE WAS ELECTED!
What does that tell you? Surely, even republicans can begin to see that the Republican Party has Seriously Been Damaged and Corrupted and is now a Cult-like, Gaslighting Bunch of Liars that are out there, declaring, GUNS DON'T KILL; BAD GUYS KILL; AND THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE BAD GUYS ARE THE GOOD BUYS WITH GUNS...
Gabbie says: I just had to go out to ask one of my favorite good guys, and heard...
Gabbie Says: INDEED, My Friend!
Is The Ugly Winning!?
The Love of God will only WIN if We Stand Up for Truth--
God's Truth!
Vote Out All Republicans Who Work to Serve Only Themselves
There's a Lot of Them that Came Out of the Woods
Incited by the Immediate Past President
Sure, I have some personal opinions of things that are sometimes hard to bear and leave us wondering just who made that...latest...mistake... happen...that is affecting so many of us? On the other hand, I am NOT somebody who is so fickle that I would immediately start giving low opinions of the president even when we see WHO is really the problem.
I chose to register as an independent, thinking I would then be able to select people I saw that would act on behalf of the Nation... People like Liz Cheney, a republican who has chosen to speak truth and defend her position against hate and violence, and ostracized by her peers for doing so. She is taking a stand for truth, by being a major player in the January 6th Insurrection, led by "The Big Liar..." Plan to watch at least some of the results of those committee activities beginning next Week!
In the meantime, Vote Blue, Even if You Have to...To Bring Back...What YOU thought was The Republic Party. See the Truth, the cult following of White Nationalist for What Is Going On...
You must fight like the Ukranians are fighting... For LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL AND...FOR...DEMOCRACY! And for God's Truth...
Who knew that, when I'd never had any particular interest in the political area of life in America, I would be called in my '70s, by God, to speak His Truth, the best that I can...
It didn't start with Matthew... But I keep coming back to the beginning of my realization of what was happening...
God Incident, to me, means a bit of magic when you realize that a coincident...just...might...have...been...arranged...
MATTHEW was the first of many wonderful staff support helpers in the Bone and Joint Unit of the hospital where I had surgery...just a few days ago...
Matthew was also the only individual who I had the wonderful opportunity to see twice during my stay. Many or most, I don't know, staff are on 12 hour shifts. What that means for the patient is that somebody new is coming in every day and night to help you through all of the personal issues that arise...you know, like, helping to get you to the bathroom, checking basic vitals, pricking each and every finger, with, yes, my getting the choice of choosing "finger of the day (or night)! More on the Unit as a whole sometime soon.
My memory of meeting Matthew:
Matthew: Hi, I'm Matthew, I'm here to help
Me: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John...
Tracey (daughter of my Heart) I Knew You were going to do that.
Matthew: And did you know that in Hebrew Matthew means Gift of God.
Me: Immediately began to sing La, la...la la la...la...la..
Me: Can you tell me what the words are... I Love the Song (and now share the words with all of you!) Awake with a Happy Heart!
Matthew: Well, I don't know, I'm not Jewish, my parents and I are Catholic. They looked up what the name meant in Hebrew when they were thinking what name I would have...
Me: Ah, jumped to a conclusion...
Matthew: Laughing, and does it help that my girlfriend is Methodist?
God Had Used Matthew as His Messenger
God was with...me...
My one and only prayer was that God would send the people who I needed to meet, at the Exact Time I Needed to Meet Them...
And I'd Just Been Zapped!
What Some People Might Say is a Coincident
God adds a Zap to Know He's Arranged It!
It is not a Coincident
It is a
God Incident!
By the Way, I didn't zap that phrase... Many years ago, I was working with a small publisher who had written a book about losing her beloved in death. Afterward, little Zaps began, like her finding a Nickle which had some significance between the two... She coined the phrase in her book, which, while reading, proofreading and more...I just can't remember details, other than she lived in Canada... But reading her book, I knew what it could be like to be Zapped! I am so thankful that I worked on that book and to be able to share what she undoubtedly felt when she realized, God does Indeed...Watch and Listen...
You Know Folks, I had so many zaps during those short few days... that I didn't really realize what was going on... So I hope to share pieces with you, just as I was being...Zapped! And, Matthew, if you're reading this post...You'll Be Back...
I've been waking up every few hours or during the day getting up to move, just as Dr. Murphy and others have given guidance to ensure a long-term result to my hip replacement surgery. It's 2 AM... I think I'll go out and have a cup of tea...
By the way, since I've adopted his phrase, "You Know Folks," I downloaded one of his books...figured I'd get to know a little more about who I consider to be the only man able to bring us through the chaos we are experiencing... I'll talk about it later at Book Readers Heaven... but it might be awhile...Just Got to Tell You About another God Incident soon... I'm So Excited; Just Can't Hide It!
First, If You Are So Excited That You Want to Immediately Start Creating, and Sharing, That's The Time You Realize That You Don't Know How To Do Everything! Duh...
So, anyway, I'm up in the early morning again wanting share a little more. And the mechanics of it slows me down...
Technology is so wonderful...and yet so frustrating at the same time...
Did you ever get so excited that you wanted to share...and then when you get everything ready, your mind goes blank. Then You Just Might be a Senior Citizen now...
Face It, Embrace... 'Cause I Promise, Your Body Knows What is Happening Inside Better Than Your, hopefully, still fairly alert mind...
I Told you that I have no idea what is going to be happening... I can deal with that! Can You? I do have a free caricature obtained online and I tried to begin using it this morning and got hung up proving to the computer I was a real person...
I am, Believe Me! Nope! That Computer program created doesn't believe me... It's a Trust Issue, isn't it... We are wonderfully prepared to do anything with computers, yet cannot immediately do them either through lack of knowledge or the dozens of constrictive measures that each of every single program ever created has automatically built in at the beginning of each new project.
I know all that because of my position of creating and managing a facilities Information System--kinda. But, like my beloved Brother-in-Law taught me... That's On Another Page...
A Gabbie's Gem:
It is sometimes easier to live with pain, than to have to further restrict your body during the mending period! Yikes!
So, as you know, I've had what I am savoring as a miracle by the hands of a brilliant orthopedics surgeon, Dr. Murphy.
Don't Let YOUR Reality, Your Life Be So Narrow
that you are not hearing, seeing, and knowing the TRUTH!
I was headed to YouTube for Music When A God Incident Interrupted! You may see these often! YOU must choose!
This has been Gabbie's First Breaking News Event!
A Gabbie's Gem: Be Prepared By Facing Aging. When your mind keeps grabbing at so many issues that you feel like you're confused, You are merely aging. Recognize it and Learn How to Deal With It...
You know Folks, I've Aligned myself with Thomas, Known best as a Doubting Thomas. I remember way back, I came to my personal conclusion that it didn't make sense that we had to wait to get to Heaven, in order not to face pain...
A God Incident: I watched a NCIS show yesterday and it touched on this issue. I thought they did a good job of showing the Why? that I kept looking for...
Or, maybe, I have now been given the answer for myself. If God had created us with 100% indestructible bodies, then we, as we were really meant to be: Thinking, Individuals who are able to make personal decisions, right or wrong--the freedom to choose! Then, Why Bother!? Jimmy was the character who explained it. If we didn't have some type of heartship--if we didn't have some type of pain, then how could we really experience the joy of being...Alive! (My words)
And Now I Understand... Just Imagine! I've lived nearly all of my life, questioning the Whys of God's plan for me. And I was doing exactly what He Wanted Me To Do!
Back to post-surgery... I have to share, I was able to be more mobile with the pain than now. With the sharp bursts of pain, I was automatically adjusting what I was doing to eliminate as many of those sharp points of pain as possible.
Now, however, I'm restricted. You See, if God had given me a miracle--instead of giving the gift of healing to millions, and, specifically, Dr. Murphy, as an ortho surgeon, I would have not learned what I needed to know what I and many others should be told if we could. Remember the Star Trek type movie where everybody was connected in communication. Well, I, for one, already know I would not be happy. I need alone time. And so I've chosen to be alone at a time when...
I find Myself more restricted than I've ever been before...
Here's what they do, simply in my own words, 'cause I sure couldn't explain it medically or technically! The surgeon removes the deteriorating bones and puts a new one in... The new one is actually inserted into a strong part of my bone structure, set with "glue." You know what I mean, like, when concrete is used and set and needs to dry to be fully strong and ready for use.
And what that means for me, the patient? I must follow the rules, no matter what, in order to not pop out that inserted new artificial bone. Geesh! Yikes! Duh! I understand the need, I understand the rules...But my actually being able to do it, with the rest of my aging body, is really quite...almost...maybe...OK, it's not impossible.
But it's Hard!
So, even if I'm Excited; Just Can't Hide It! I already realize that I must follow the rules and slow down, do what I'm supposed to do (Yes, Mother--Boss, doctor, or whoever you must listen to).
For one thing, they want you to get up and move about every 45 minutes... Well, I surely cannot finish what I want to say within that time... So... I'm Taking It One Day At a Time... Me, who wants to know the answers to all my questions, has accepted and am living as He made us to be...depending upon Him...
My Interpretation of the Holy Trinity: God is the Father that I Never Had, Jesus is my Best Friend Forever, and the Holy Spirit is God's indwelling power which came when I asked Him to! He gave us Free Will to Choose! To Live With or Without His Love. And Why would we ever choose not to have The Greatest Love...Ever!
Preface: Many years ago, I was thrilled to first hear the musical, Fiddler on the Roof...and its story! I loved all the music, especially; and, at that time I wanted to share my love... I took several of my nieces and nephews to see the movie. Later, not to be cruel or attempt to hurt my feelings, they jokingly said that they couldn't figure out why I had invited them to see the movie. I was devastated at the time, didn't take offense, and yet, I realized that that story had been, perhaps, the first message--the first God Incident--in my life. And that I, alone, had experienced what, I believe, the creator of that entire presentation wanted to tell the world. My overwhelming, almost, response, to other family members apparently had not occurred. Maybe because of the age difference, or maybe perhaps, different... Indeed, I began to watch and analyze interactions with all connections and, at that time, I began wondering--was I different?
For some reason, I had, from that time on, "felt" something, I can't even describe it to this day... But it was definitely a connection, perhaps my very first time of feeling--Empathy...
From time to time, I've been asked to review relevant books, or begin to know a little about the writers I met online...and I was given bits and pieces from books, online conversations, meeting Jewish friends on the campus of where I worked for 37 years, and then to be so traumatized, with them, as I heard a march of white men in Virginia within recent years chant... "Jews Will Not Replace Us!" And I began to watch what just might be called in these times, just one of the conspiracy theories that those who do not know of God's love for each of us. has evolved into through manipulation, hatred, power...and prejudice.
Amy Grant became, for me, a favorite. For she took a Jewish song, presented both the Hebrew and English words...and I began to learn a little, even if I don't have a magical ear to easily learn and speak different languages... Because, as you Know, Words are Sooooo important, especially these days, when we have lost trust in words. People seem to actually create their own definition of what a word mean for "them." The lies seem almost transparent to me, so I often feel frustrated, not understanding the "Why?" of all that is being corrupted through manipulation of the simple words of our language, that all of us have used throughout our lives. More on that when I tell you about meeting Matthew...and considering the expansiveness of God's Love...I hope you'll be watching for that next post and spend a little time with me, Gabbie, another part of the woman you know as Glenda Bixler, Book Reviewer and Avid Reader.
You see, on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, I experienced a Miracle! Within the few hours of one day, my life had been changed... As of now, I don't know just how much it has. No, I'm not claiming an actual healing...merely, acknowledging all those people to whom God has given the gift to provide medical care...and just how impactful it can be as seen by an outsider.
As many of you know, I have been walking with support for about two years. I have learned a lot just from that experience alone.
But the day, my surgery for a left his replacement was officially scheduled on May 18th, until I had come out of the surgery and had been, into what is called the Post-surgery phase, I moved, in my own ranking of pain level from the ranking of evaluation of pain level (meaning that I placed the pain as it affected my life activities) on the entire left side from my hip down to the bottom of my foot, as being down from a ten to a two rank--within a matter of a few hours!
When I experienced the change in pain level, I immediately felt it could only be called a miracle... Just exactly what do you mean by that, Gabbie? you might rightfully ask... And That's all Right! I'm not sure I can express the impact to me... But, when My niece and daughter of my heart... arrived into my private room, I used the term, Exuberant to describe how I felt...and then I just kept on Talking, sharing about all of what I was feeling... So, now, as I write this on Sunday following the surgery, I looked up the definition of the word that came first to my mind. (filled with or characterized by a lively energy and excitement--Giddily Exuberant) And even today, although the reality of the entire time has not been consistently in that emotional high, I still experience the feelings of my euphoria and what happened during, perhaps, my most important time in my life... And I just needed to become Gabbie for a while... I want to document all that I experienced, based upon, what was a one-sentence prayer: Lord, please put the exact people during this procedure into my life, exactly when you wanted them to be there...
The very first event that I knew was a God Incident (received from the Holy Spirit) was the day I was diligently working to be released from the Hospital. I had been watching the news and CNN happened to be the only all-time mews channel that was available in the Hospital. Sometime during that last day, there was a short story, event, when two elderly Jewish men who each thought they might be the only "one" that was still alive who had survived the Holocaust. The video showed the two men meeting for that first time, hugging and recognizing in each other...we are survivors...
And We Must Bear Witness!
My ears perked up immediately. I knew that was a message to me on my last day, before leaving... I had been told to Bear Witness of the Events I experienced that time in the Hospital. I was so excited that I called the Central Desk and asked if they could find a pen and bring it to me, that I needed to write things down. Alicia was there almost immediately with a pencil indicating that's all she had... I was thrilled... I grabbed something and started scribbling notes. I didn't have a note pad, so I used whatever was first to be picked up and the issues, experiences just came right after each other and I wrote notes as quickly as possible, because, of course, I had not been able to take my non-prescription medications prior to my surgery. Specifically, I had been noticeably seeing improvements in my brain function related to memory as a result of starting on Neuriva. I had tried Prevagen and also saw a difference, but then an ad on the television, months ago, about one of the women characters and she was saying that she was not only a brain surgeon on television, but she was actually a brain surgeon. I decided then and there, on impulse, perhaps to switch. In any event, by the time I was off that med, I could already see that my efficiency was going backward and I was unable to "find" the words when I wanted to speak... (so in a way, I'm giving a little "review" for Neuriva. Those of you who may feel those moments of loss of "finding the right words that routinely came to us throughout our lives...but have diminished by aging. So even as i write, I'm hoping that all of you will be able to follow the message I want to give. But that's another story under the category of This Is What I've Learned... And, for me, Neuriva was the choice that increased my memory capacity...
I wrote so many notes and I'm hoping that I'll be able to read my penciled older-age writing and I've allowed Gabbie to become a more dominant part of "Me" to come out and share all that happened during the last few days! Hopefully, just as I found from the brief few minutes of watching two older Jewish gentlemen embracing in love that they had survived one of the worst tragedies in our living lifetimes, that you may at least gain one small gem from what I'll be sharing...
Because it is up to each of us to Bear Witness in these days of such division and increased violence and hatred among Americans who had, I thought, always been able to live together and see their place in "America" as was first established by immigrants who needed to find "sanctuary..."
Because, You know, America really isn't that sanctuary that we all dreamed about, believed in, and cared that diversity as a sign of the true meaning of God's love for humans...when we were created and born on earth...
And we MUST bear witness in Truth! In the Love of God for one another...and the total elimination of the hatred running rampant in the world today...Or else, there will be no more of the United States of America.
And there are many other writers who are writing "their witness" of what issues are affecting us all--often through the creation of a fictional novel using a major political or religious issue, that has been burned into their God-given creativity to work to bear their own "witness" to readers such as me, you, and all those who need to be able to visualize, to grasp, and perhaps hang on to reality...even through Fiction...and learn how to once again recognize Truth--The Truth of Knowing that God created all of us as equal in His Sight (not in our own prejudices from our individual pasts. Remember emember when He spoke, Thou Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me... And, Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness Against Thy Neighbor... Two relevant Old Testaments Commandments that Are, I believe, relevant at this most chaotic time in, at least, my plus 70 years of living.
Remember, God Takes Each of Us JUST AS WE ARE! Giving us Free Will. We use that free will, hopefully, to help the world in which we live, be one of those, simply phrased...Love Thy Neighbor...
Upfront, I personally believe we are to be New Testament Christians. After all, Jesus died for us...and when those older guidance points were provided in the Old Testament, in the New, for instance... these were Matthew's Words:
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. “This is the first and great commandment. “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:37–39).
Matthew was sent to me immediately after my operation as, one of the thousands, and maybe even millions, who provide patient support when we are most vulnerable...and in need of... That completion of a sentence should be filled in in your own words... In my case, it was replacing a deteriorating hip bone.
I didn't seek a miracle, I did not ask God for healing. I just asked that the right people that He wanted me to come to know, would come to me--whenever it was the right time...
By the Way, I have NO idea where this new blogging activity will take me... But then, I don't really need to... I'm trusting that words I write will speak to, maybe, just one of the readers from around the world... Just at the Right Time when the words are needed by any one of us...
God Bless and In His Love!
Be Patient if connections are not yet functioning...please... Now I have to measure every movement to ensure my replacement is not jarred in any way... Have a good day!
The Lord gave me another song as I woke this morning... So here I am, writing, first thing this morning... The computer and light was already on as I walked into my little home office--I had been so upset that I went to bed to read and settle down... Finally, after 5 years, I was rid of ADT. You know, that company that may be voted the best...but that has, for the most part, lousy customer service!
When i was young, as a new Christian, living the life into which I was born, I sometimes would think...You know, I'd rather have peace on earth than rest in heaven some day farrrr in the future... Well, the future came really fast, didn't it? And still, there is no peace here on earth.
It came to me as I was singing "There will be peace...in the valley...for me...some day..." that it really would not be much of a life if we were singing and happy all the day long. Geesh! But did sometimes it could get so very bad?
When I was working, I had coined the phrase which still comes to mind. America has Mindless Bureaucracy! A symptom of, from what I can tell, those companies that have come to be successful, because of people's needs, but then do little, really, to improve the lives of their customers along through their days.
Yesterday, ADT...finally...after 5 years is cancelling my account! I was so happy just to be rid of the issues I've had through those 5 years. First, let me tell you that it was through the efforts of first, the initial responder and, second, the account manager, that I was able to be...free... They were both empathetic and willingly listened to me as I spoke...sometimes with frustration and anger... That type of response from employees are rare in the supposed corporate service areas these days. In fact, at one point I was told that the employees are trained NOT to allow termination when requested...
Yes, truly... I had finally got somebody on the line and told her I wanted to cancel. She immediately started talking about trying to help me with additionally information on what was available NOW... since I was a long-term customer... I hung up on her, thinking why I didn't have that new equipment which she was now wanting me to buy. Later, my niece even called for me and the record showed that we were disconnected. I said, "no, I wasn't disconnected, I hung up because SHE wouldn't listen to me..." The employee explained that, yes, they are taught to try to sell...blah, blah, blah...
You know, what gets me most is that there was so much NEW equipment available. But I was a present customer...so I was never offered an upgrade!!! You got it...the equipment by this time was out of date...but that didn't matter, why bother to upgrade for customers who already are paying monthly?!
Five year ago, I was talked into getting a security system by my family. Two young employees came to my house and set it all up...per what they wanted, not what I wanted...For instance, a motion detector was installed. I had explained that I didn't want it because I had cats. As I was going around the cabin pinpointing places for window "gadgets," the other man installed the detector. He went on to install where he wanted, the main box, which was NOT inside the door...and he also put a "temporary" code in for security...NOT telling me about that action.
So it was functional, I guess...after all, I got a monthly email that said the system was ok...and that continued up until this month when I got the same email (5 years old) claiming that the system was connected. Actually, the system had not functioned for over 2 months and ADT knew it...or somebody with whom a discussion had occurred knew it...but, heaven forbid, that the company take the initiative to try to discover more!
Well, actually, I went to chat and, again, got a nice customer service person, we had gone as far as setting up a time for someone to come...Within the time of being put on hold for confirmation, the woman sheepishly came back and explained that that time had been taken, that nobody could come until after the new year. Calmly, I said "Do you really want to do this?" You want to leave me, a disabled person, without service...blah, blah, blah. She was upset and apologized...but the system was still not functioning...
You know, I had been getting it seemed hundreds of post cards telling me that some generation nonsense was occurring and that I was responsible to ensure my equipment was to be "fixed." Well, as some of you may know, having brain surgery, and getting ready for hip replacement surgery seemed to me to be higher priorities...so I tossed most of them into the garbage...
Finally, they sent some box that I had to add myself. OK, that would normally be no problem, except that I was now walking totally with a walker and could no longer easily get to outlets...Nevertheless, tried...it didn't do what it was supposed to do...So I called...They told me to relocate it... I did that...It wouldn't work...and still doesn't...
Somewhere along the line I was told by still another employee, that I should have been able to get somebody here...and that she would contact "My team." I wrote, "so I have a team? DUH...Then why wasn't an appointment scheduled... Well, she would contact "my team..." At that point, since I was online with these special chat ladies, who, when it comes down to it, never has the power to do anything themselves... I said, "You talk to your supervisor and get somebody here..." and signed off... You guessed it, I heard nothing! NEVER expect action unless you are forced to DEMAND IT...
Thinking back to when the system first came on, I remember being out for groceries or something and the motion detector apparently came on... Calls were made to my family...and they panicked, of course. My niece was waiting for me when I came home. The motion detector had been arbitrarily placed in a location set by the technician, that fell in line with my chair where I watched television, and my cat sat on the top of the back of the chair...
It happened several times. Finally, I called and said that this was ridiculous and I wanted the detector out. Instead I was told when I go out, that I should click that I was "inside." and that would take care of not dealing with the motion detector...
Saved the company a service call...But, of course, if the cabin was on fire while I was outside, the poor fireman would be feverishly hunting for the body of a woman who was supposed to be inside, according to the ADT code... Yeah, who cares that doing what I was told to do, actually cancelled out the value of the codes established by that company for how to deal with emergencies...
Then there were the alarms... I have two doors relatively close to each other and in a small cabin, at that time, I was in and out all of the time... You guessed it, when I opened a door, a chime occurred...Every time...ALL THE TIME! It was driving me crazy...but worse, like Pavlov's dogs, my outside cats all would come running, wanting to be fed, or trying to get in the house, which they did... In desperation I called and got another woman (did you ever notice that the majority of true "helpful" employees are women?) I explained the issue and said I needed the chimes...gone... "No problem" she replied... I told her she had just saved my cancelling the system right then. Later, I wondered, WHY didn't somebody go over the details of the system and allow me to choose what options the system provided! After all, the customer wouldn't have know what would actually be happening with this new system... Another Duh...
When I called several times, and couldn't get through because I didn't know my account password, I really was getting upset... I got online and opened an account... I found that password, that the technician had put in himself when he installed the system, but forgot to tell me I had to...and how to...change that password... Yeah... the lousy customer service items continued to grow...
So, to sum up, I got a small box like the lock key openers for your car, which I wore around my neck. I only used it when I left the cabin. At that time, I had to choose the wrong code, rather than that I was leaving, and instead, choose the code I was home, because the motion detector which I did not want and told the technician that, was installed anyway...apparently placed to work, and resulted in my relatives being called...falsely...because apparently there was an emergency. Even the local police came one day...
I had had enough... But being so frustrated, each time I called, I got angry because THEY WOULD NOT LISTEN TO ME! Instead they would try to sell me something more and just went on blah, blah, blah... You know what I mean... Or they transferred me to somebody else, who had to be totally updated since nothing of the issue was explained to the new caller...Why waste employee effort--just ask the customer to repeat everything again...and then say they were sorry, but this needed to be handled by another department or supervisor... Circular transfers sometimes ends up with the customer hanging up... Done on purpose I had to wonder...
The ironic thing is that, I had got online myself and researched their equipment, and saw that they now had a medical alert. I thought that might be good, since I already have one with another company... Of course, that led to the chat which was to schedule somebody to come last year, Within 5 seconds, she had to explain that the "ONE" time available had been snatched up by somebody faster than her...and I would have to wait until after the beginning of the year...
Mindless Bureaucracy, Thy Name is ADT...super spreader of the lack of efficient and effective customer service... Super corporation that has forgotten that the customer comes first... Super creator of mindless bureaucracy by which a customer is forced to deal with more and more employees, in more and more departments, in order to try to get some type of minimal support. Super greedy corporation who chooses not to upgrade present customers system but forces customers to demand service, only to be bombarded by new system capability! NOT for me anymore... There is NOW peace in my valley...today...
Sooo, anybody out there, willing and able to come take out all of these pieces of a security system that the company doesn't deal with any more..."not worth anything..." 'Til then, I sit, looking at that motion detector right in front of me and wondering, why, why, do I listen to my relatives when I don't want to do something... Actually, I did admit that I felt safer...That was, maybe a week after the installation, before, all the crappy events you've now learned about happened... Five long and frustrating years of dealing with a system that does not do what it should do...Alert that fireman that I'm really NOT inside the burning home that the ADT system reports that I am... Mindless Bureaucracy surely is at work at ADT...
Seriously...have you seen them on the television lately? Shoulder Pads! Are you a fan, or not? I wore some during the first generation (or 3rd, 4th, or 20th). All clothes in the past were fitted with pads... You didn't really have a choice...
Got to say, it hasn't been that long when I got my scissors out to cut the pads from a blouse that my cousin had shared with me... You may recall that often, after washing, the pads would lay doubled up...so that you had to physically go inside your blouse or top and spread them across your shoulder...NOT kidding... I still have the blouse and you can see the cut marks...LOL
So I've never been a fashion follower. And sometimes they are not at all flattering... Just this week, I saw a woman on a talk show that had pads on her top. She was a slender woman... so the pads stuck out well beyond her slender arms...and, literally, just sat there, begging to be noticed. Personally, it detracted from what the woman was saying, just because her shoulder pads were making the statement for her!
Some are softly blended to round out the individual's shoulders...Those I don't mind and they help to create a more polished look to jackets...
