I went for a country sunshine-snow-on-the-ground drive this morning. Out the Royal Road, a left to Kingsley, up on Balsam Ridge (sounds like a song) and into Burtts Corner, back through Keswick, Douglas and into Fredericton, back to where I started. Beautiful. Then to the gym to meet with a new trainer, Ross, a young man (30 years old). He is adorable and very considerate of all my 'issues' in my tissues, if you know what I mean. Aches and pains here and there, scar tissue, back problems, oh, the list... I worked out for an hour and felt great. Now I'm writing down everything I eat in a food journal. Now, that's a job, I'll tell you, but it certainly makes you conscious of what you're eating. I ate VERY well today. But sure would like some toast. I'm off bread for a few days.

Now I must fold clothes or something. Oh, Doug just got home. So I guess I'll go talk to him. He looks like he fell into a bucket of grease, head and all. He has been working out at Floyd's in Charters Settlement, building a trailer to haul behind the RV. A new invention. Will the ideas ever stop coming to Mr. Invention? We never get bored here, between the two of us. Our life is far from boring.

Saturday

Today has been very eventful. This morning I was at Smythe Street church to a women's brunch. Great time. Helped clean up afterwards, then a quick trip to the Lighthouse Bookstore to load up on Christmas books for gifts. Over to CJRI (radio station) to work until 6 pm in our Praise & Pledge Share-a-Thon Weekend. On the air from 4-6 with my co-host, Barb Prosser-Winder, and Lynda Lewis dropped in as well. We had a good time together. We raised a good amount during that two hours, and we were excited, let me tell you. I played a few Christmas songs as well, while the snow fell softly outside the window. We got a lot of snow today. It was amazing. Then to Beairsto's with the Winders for a late supper. Home in the snow was fun -- I love to drive in the new snow.

Tomorrow is another full day. Must get my beauty rest tonight.

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See!

Watch this -- it is absolutely amazing!

!Deb

Fear

Sarah, a 10-year-old student of mine, just told me that the fear of long words is:

Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia.

Say that 5 times quickly.

I am learning SO much today teaching these amazing students!

Mrs. Mac

Want to hear a couple of kid's jokes?

One of my 5-year-old students, Ella, told me that today she took out a book at the school library called "101 Jokes for Children," and she was VERY disappointed because they were not funny at all. I told her that perhaps she could write a joke book for kids. Then she asked me if I wanted to hear a couple of jokes. "Why yes," I replied.

Here they are:

"Why did Tigger look in the toilet? ...... To look for his friend Pooh!"

and

"Why did the chicken cross the playground?".......To get to the other SLIDE."

Thanks, Ella -- you're a great joke teller. You made my day!


Mrs. Mac (that's me)

You are who you are for a reason.
You're part of an intricate plan.
You're a precious and perfect unique design,
Called God's special woman or man.

You look like you look for a reason,
Our God made no mistake.
He knit you together within the womb,
You're just what he wanted to make.

The parents you had were the ones he chose,
And no matter how you may feel,
They were custom-designed with God's plan in mind,
And they bear the Master's seal.

No, that trauma you faced was not easy.
And God wept that it hurt you so;
But it was allowed to shape your heart
So that into his likeness you`d grow.

You are who you are for a reason,
You`ve been formed by the Master`s rod.
You are who you are, beloved,
Because there is a God!

(Russell Kelfer)


Without God life makes no sense.
(Andrei Bitov, Russian novelist)

Tuesday

Oh, it's so good to get a good night's sleep, isn't it? I think it has something to do with Kefir. I drink some right before bed. THe Jolly Green told me he drinks it and sleeps like a baby. And I read Scripture before bed as well. That helps, I think. To begin and end the day with the B-I-B-L-E. What a comfort it is to me.

Today I received a two month free membership at the gym plus a Good Life hoodie. Favor. And I just had brownies and ice cream. Now to go talk to Natalie on the phone. She's making a million cookies for Aiden's pre-school fund raiser this weekend. Imagine. A PRE-SCHOOL fundraiser! It seems so strange that Aiden, at 2 1/2, is in school. Can't wait to see him and the baby-to-be. Making plans to go out in mid February for three weeks. Nat's excited and so are we. Not sure whether my students will be too happy. But, grandchildren take precedence over work, don't they?

Stlll waiting for grandbaby #5....Alicia, are you ready???

Waiting for Baby #5

Alicia is due on November 28 -- Sunday... Saw her yesterday at Doug's birthday party at our house. She's ready. Would appreciate your prayers for her as she nears Sunday! Don't know what it is, but whatever -- boy or girl -- we are excited! Can't believe that yet another baby is being born into our family. Natalie is due January 22nd. Making plans to go out there for three weeks (yes, Nat, we are!).

Just finished teaching and practicing my guitar after teaching. My fingers are tired, sore, and my back is aching. Time to put the musical instruments DOWN, Deb, and relax. You've done enough today -- cleaning, cooking, radioing, studying, teaching. Thank you for yet another wonderful day.

In everything, give thanks!

!Gram Deb

The Daily Gleaner

Hey -- I'm in the paper on Saturday, Nov. 20th -- "Riverside Neighbours." Margaret Laking wrote a wonderful article about me and the ministry and our trip to McAdam in September. I've never been featured before in the paper. And on Doug's 55th birthday to boot!

A HAPPY Birthday weekend

Doug and I at Don & Elsbeth's house on Friday night, the beginning of Happy Birthday Weekend. What a weekend! (Note the headlamp that Doug received during gift exchange!). You know, his grandfather WAS a coal miner.

Happy Birthday to You!

My husband, John Douglas MacDonald is officially 55 today! Happy Birthday, my love -- may God grant you many more years of wedded bliss!

Your beautiful wife,

Deborah Susan MacDonald
x0x0x0x0xx0x0

It’s Late and I’m Still Standing


It’s Wednesday. Finished three days of intense teaching—so many cute children and teens I get the opportunity to teach piano and guitar. Teaching music inspires me to play myself and increase my skill, so I just finished learning a blues tune on the guitar.
The last few days I’ve also ‘nested’ in the house. Natalie said she has been nesting, but she’s pregnant. And Alicia is pregnant, soon to deliver (due date is November 30!). So perhaps I’m a ‘sympathetic nester,’ I don’t know, but I have felt like staying inside the house and doing many things – staying in my upstairs office for long periods of time, laundry, cooking, etc.
Now I need to go nest in my bed. Go to bed, Deb. Bed is Deb spelled backwards you know. You think I would go to bed earlier since that is the case.

Prison & Prayer

This morning I preached on Acts 12 -- Peter being in prison and the prayers of the people causing God to act, and Peter's release from prison. Nothing is impossible with God. Nothing.

Angie sent me this video which matches my sermon this morning. Check it out if you can...here's the link:

This morning I preached on Acts 12 -- Peter being in prison and the prayers of the people causing God to act, and Peter's release from prison. Nothing is impossible with God. Nothing.

Angie sent me this video which matches my sermon this morning. Check it out if you can...here's the link:

http://opendoorsuk.org/resources/films/intro.php?trailer=01 (paste it into your web browser)

BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAYER. I do.

What Doing?

What doing? You may ask of me. Well, let's see. In the past few days, I have taught a whole whack of students, gone to Southhampton (wherever that is, north of here) with Max on Thursday night to a Ladies' Night Out, where I spoke on LAUGHTER and we laughed let me tell you. Doug was out in the car with the windows rolled up, having a nap, when all of a sudden he awoke with a clatter....No, wrong song. He awoke with a start from hearing all the women INSIDE the church laughing so hard. It was probably the Ken and Edna joke I was telling. Anyway, the benefits of laughter, plus a few inside stories of the past year of treatment (only for women, of course, sorry guys).

Friday morning I had a pedicure and had an awesome time with my pedicurist and now we are friends. She even sold me her decorative shelf, we bonded so well. Now to have my trusty husband put it up for me. Friday afternoon we took a trip up to Bristol to see the grandkids. Took Doug's sister Joy, and his mom with us. Very nice visit with the chilluns, and the chillun to be in a couple of weeks. Alicia is getting ready to go, and then there will be four!

Today I went to Charity White's wedding. Janet & Duane White's daughter. Keswick Church for the wedding -- a bit of a tearjerker when Charity tried to sing a song to her father, now in heaven. She so wanted her daddy to give her away. Perhaps he was watching from heaven. I came home to work on my sermon for tomorrow morning. I'm at the Church of the Nazarene on Brookside Drive, and some girlfriends are coming to help me sing. After an hour of work on that, I drove to New Maryland to the reception, where we were served a lovely meal, catered by Edwina's, an awesome caterer here in Fredericton. Was nice to catch up with some friends there, and after the dance started I decided to hightail it for home because my sermon is not done. And here I am writing my blog. But it's important to me to update you on my life for some reason. I don't know why, but if you're still reading, I'll still write.

During the reception, Charity was crying about her father not being there, which got me crying, too (and a whole lot of other people). I said, "stupid cancer" out loud. It takes so many people. Makes me kind of mad. Perhaps it does you, too. BUT GOD is able to bring good out of bad, and that's how I'm looking at it; how I CHOOSE to look at it, even though it makes me mad. I KNOW God raised me from the dead and is allowing me to LIVE - for a reason -- to give Him honor and thanks and to tell people there IS a God, and He IS real, and HE IS there for you -- in ALL Things.

There, now I must go work on my sermon about Acts 12 and God and His 'A' Team (angel team). Read it and you'll know what I mean.

Toodle-oo

Today has been two years since my diagnosis -- Nov. 10, 2008. Now it is 2010 -- Nov 10/10. 11/10/10. Reminding myself today that it's just another day on the calendar, yet a day to reflect on what the Lord has done these past two years -- with treatment, support, encouragement and ultimately healing me. He truly has sustained me on my sick bed and restored me to health. This is a time to reflect, and to be thankful to Him for His faithfulness and care for me.

And thanks to all of you, too. Without you, what would I have done? Thank you SO SO much. Words cannot express my gratitude to you.

The past has gone -- the NEW has come!

!Deb

Doctors' Report

Yesterday we met with my surgeon, Dr. Bryden (the best surgeon in the world in my opinion). She examined me and told me that it wasn't necessary to have another mastectomy for medical reasons on my left side, but I could if I wished to, for personal reasons. We will talk about it again next year. She is more concerned with it coming back on the mastectomy side, as I had so many lymph nodes involved with cancer in them. But she said I have good follow-up and if anything was found they would deal with it. And I still have a lot of pain in that area. She said it was because of the radiation. Nothing will be found, amen?

Anyhow, she was pleased. I was pleased. She said that I am on Arimidex and to stay on it; that she went to a conference on estrogen inhibitors and that the people told them to help women stay on these drugs for the five years and to treat the side effects rather than allowing them to quit the drug. I have to keep reminding myself that I am on a drug for breast cancer, and also remind myself that I have GOD on my side -- the God factor, I call it. Doctors are so brutally honest, aren't they? She told me of one patient who had cancer in 15 lymph nodes and was coming to her for 10 years, when she finally told her to stop coming to see her. Pray that it NEVER comes back. NEVER AGAIN. I think I've heard that slogan before, and how fitting, since it is Remembrance Day in two days.

Tomorrow was my diagnosis date, two years ago -- Nov. 10, 2008. I had a hard time flipping the calendar over to the month of November and didn't do it til yesterday, after realizing that I needed to get over that 'fear' and flip the flippin' calendar to November. I love November, yes I do. And I thank God for November -- especially this November! I'm alive and well. And by God's good graces, I will be alive and well for a very long time, considering I'm going to live to 120 years of age. (LOL)

I just had a call that I am going to be interviewed and featured in the new
year in the newspaper! Probably January.

Wow. Will wonders never cease. Now to get ready to go see Dr. Bryden, AFTER a trip to the Superstore, of course!

He Sets the Lonely in Families

"God places lonely people in families. He leads prisoners out of prison into productive lives..." (Psalm 68:6a)

Today is World Orphans Day
"The pandemic of homeless and orphaned children is exponentially growing, leaving 145 million children orphaned or displaced globally.

143 million children are suffering from malnutrition, and 400 thousand of those will die this year.
HIV and AIDS is devastating global communities and millions are facing the horror of war and abuse EVERY day.

All of these things mean that every TWO SECONDS another child is orphaned.
WHEN?

November 8th, 2010 We encourage prayer, vigils, events, media promotion throughout the United States and the international community. The second Monday in November is observed each year to raise awareness of the plight of orphans and displaced children around the world. To commemorate and strengthen the ideals of humanitarian goodwill towards these children, global non –governmental organizations, humanitarian aid organizations, civic groups, and individuals are asked to observe World Orphans Day in their own diverse, effective way." (worldorphansday.com)

Weekend

It is Monday morning after a jam-packed weekend at Greenhill Lake. Anne Grant and friends doing a womens' retreat. Great time. Anne is a fabulous person and woman of God. Women were truly blessed this weekend. I was the special singer/piano player (what a privilege to sing and play, something I LOVE to do), a sometime cook, and registration person (took me two hours yesterday to figure out all the money. Felt like a moneychanger!). Laurie H. was the dancer (she did a fantastic job). Cheryl and Rhonda performed various tasks. Max, Phenny, Linda, Sandra participated as well. Am I tired this morning? A bit. Still in my housecoat at 9 am! Will spend the day very slowly and relaxing. Dr. Bryden appointment at 2:20 this afternoon for a check-up and to discuss another mastectomy. God is in control!

A picture of Anne Grant from Bahamas and myself after the retreat... And one of the Dancing Queen (me), and Laurie the Dancer in her beautiful outfit. This was after the retreat (although we did a good deal of dancing during. We love to dance!)

He Already Sees

I was listening to this song this morning in my radio show by The Collingsworth Family, and thought I would share the lyrics with you. (I heard the word 'rainbow' in it as well, which is God's way of reminding me that He is in control of my life and His promise to take care of me)...

He Already Sees

When the storm raged about them
The disciples were afraid
For the waves were high and the ship was tossed
They could not find their way

Then they awoke the Master
Saying Lord please save us now
He rebuked the winds and the sea grew calm
And they all wondered how

God sees the storm from the other side
He knows the lessons learned
And just beyond the clouds He sees clear skies
He speaks peace to the raging storm
When peace cannot be found
He already sees the rainbow when we see only clouds

Like the man on the sea did
I have called on God in prayer
When it seemed to me all hope was gone And in my deep despair
I remembered what the Lord said
When He calmed that troubled sea
And I know once more how He sees the storm
And peace floods over me

God sees the storm from the other side
He knows the lessons learned
And just beyond the clouds He sees clear skies
He speaks peace to the raging storm
When peace cannot be found
He already sees the rainbow when we see only clouds

And when the storms of life come crashing in and trouble me
I can feel God's arms around me and He whispers
Let it be, Let it be

I'm in Japan!

Just found out that Chizuru, the Japanese friend of Doris & Laurie's (and mine), is listening to me on the radio in Japan, learning English. Here is her email:


Hi, Laurie,

I could listen Debbie's radio tonight!
It is very unbeliebable thing.
Please tell her Chizuru listenes her voice through the radio station and good job!
I will continue to listen her radio station.
It is good for me to be used to listen English.
Thank you for your telling me the web site.
It is 1:20 AM midnight in Japan now. I should go to bed.

Chizuru

Will wonders never cease? Global technology -- isn't it amazing. Hard for me to fathom, although I do realize that cjri.fm can and is listened to around the world. I just forget sometimes. Thank you, God, for the opportunity! And it's also amazing that I went out west to school seven years ago to take a TESL course (teaching English as a second language). I didn't take the course, but here I am, teaching English. Will wonders never cease again!

And thanks, Chizuru for listening!

!Global Deb

PS: Doug just called me and he has been hired as a DJ for the Christmas party. Will wonders never cease again!