march 31, 2008 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1)

top of the evening, friends....


i hope this blog entry finds you all happy and healthy this last day of march. hopefully, warmer weather is on it's way!



the photo attached is of our 2007 "motorcycles and murals" annual ride where my dad and i take a group of friends down to portsmouth, ohio to see the flood wall murals. we then go to "the ribber" for a great bbq rib lunch. the picture is of lt. kathy mckinney of the florida state patrol, my dad, lt. mark thompson, and me.



i have wonderful news! i went to the orthopedic doctor today and was told i could start weight bearing immediately. i won't see the doctor again for 6 weeks. until then, he wants me to simply get acclimated to walking again. he said it would be slow and to use the crutches at first, but try to add weight a little at a time. he won't put me in rehab yet, as that will be pretty intense. we'll revisit that possibility in may. God is good!



another positive note.....i start back to class tomorrow. i've been working on homework the biggest part of the week, so i think i'm pretty prepared. dirty di, carl and i are going back together. bless their hearts...when i had to drop out, they dropped out too. they said, "we started this MBA together....and we'll finish together." that is great friendship.

i have finally visited the retirement board's physician and providing no anticipated problems, my retirement will be official the last week of april.

i will also be traveling back to wheeling mid-april for a fourth pre-trial on our case.

quote for the day:

"Things are only impossible until they're not"

- Jean-Luc Picard -

• happy birthday to my niece erin hubbard! she turns 29 today.



• good luck to sgt. jim hutton (and his wife, sally) on his retirement from the patrol! happy trails to you on your future motorcycle travels! i had a very nice time at your retirement send-off. thanks so much for your kind words.



• please continue to pray for gina herbert of the ohio department of public safety. she has to have another surgery in april due to a crash in june 2007. she has had such a rough go of it and could certainly benefit from your thoughts and prayers.



• also pray for my friend, tom reffey who has been deployed to serve our country.


• debbie chapman - great news that you're back to work! i'm sure the kids really missed you as much as you missed them! just don't over do it, friend....we have some riding to do this summer!!


• terri west - i sure hope you're feeling much better too. hobbling around isn't much fun, but it does get better with time.....i promise!
• lt. mark thompson - thanks for your kind words last friday as well. i appreciate them more than you know.
• ray scharf - thanks so much for your email! words of encouragement like that lift me more than you know. i hope we can actually meet sometime.
• jane and mark bell - thanks so much for your cards and emails! they lift me more than you know.
• wyandot co/uppersandusky court friends - thank you so much for your words of encouragement too....it's been 15-20 years since i've seen you and you still keep me in your thoughts and prayers. may God bless each and every one of you!
• julie broughton - thanks, buddy for always remembering me. you've been a great friend since our "girls state" days!

until next time....continue to expect to be blessed....

lisa - 1095

march 17, 2008 - “oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory…” (I chronicles 4:10)

top of the morning, friends....

happy st. patrick's day! i trust this blog entry finds you well.

things continue to improve here (God is good!). i can do just about everything but walk and drive! hopefully, that will change at the end of the month, when i visit my orthopedic doctor.

i start back to school in 2 weeks, so i'm doing all i can to get my house in order. the painting continues (yuck!), and i have a gentleman coming today to paint the ceilings in the great room and loft. unfortunately, i can't do those from a wheelchair. i had no idea it would take me this long to paint...but i'm learning patience.

the picture is of my buddy, alan forbes during the blizzard. he and his mom, wendy came over for pizza and a movie on friday. we watched the "bee movie." of course, true to form, i fell asleep halfway through.

quotes for the day:

"Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again."

- Og Mandino -

__________________________________________

"Make it a bad moment, not a bad day."

- Katherine Mylius -

sgt. ryan chapman - thank you so much for your kind words. i will certainly look up your friend's story. adversity does make us stronger!



dispatcher matt knutson - i have been told you are in the hospital. you're in all of our thoughts and prayers during your recovery.



captain tina phillips - i hope you have had ANOTHER great vacation and that your time was relaxing and enjoyable. give me an update when you return.



kathy mckinniss - thanks so much for your continued thoughts and prayers. you have always been so faithful in checking in. tell eric that i hope he's doing well too.



mary hamilton - good seeing you on saturday. as always, you take care of the multitudes....!



kate pirwitz - it was nice talking with you the other day. keep your chin up. your situation is certainly not insurmountable! call me if you need any help.

charlie morrison - i hope you're feeling much better very soon! you also are in my thoughts and prayers as you recover.

for all my female motorcycle friends....you'll enjoy this link:

http://www.helmethairmagazine.com/TopTen-January2008.html

until next time, be blessed.....

lisa - 1095

march 11, 2008 - “as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9)

top of the afternoon, friends....

i trust this blog entry finds you all well. things are good here.



i went to see the retirement board's independent doctor yesterday as required. he agreed that i am disabled at this time and will share that with the board. i still hope to prove the doctors wrong someday and return to the OSP. we'll see.



i am still in the process of painting the inside of my house. what a job!!! the upstairs is done, and now i'm working on the downstairs. it looks good, but what a long, tedious task! nothing in my life happens quickly these days! i have a painter coming to give me an estimate on the ceilings and great room. i obviously can't do those, so i have no choice than to hire that work out.



major peyton watts has now officially moved over to my former spot in finance & logistics from the academy. i wish him nothing but the best. he has the absolute best crew to work with anywhere! i know that the academy will miss his leadership, but he's a welcome addition to OFLS!



the above picture is of the "gatlinburg gang." di, dad, trish, elzie and i are pictured. not pictured is mary, sam and mary b. i was taking a picture of them on the hotel balcony. we hope to return this year on motorcycles...."if the Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise."



i will be speaking at the athens kiwanis group later this week, at the request of former post commander mike hunter. i'm looking forward to seeing mike again, as it's been a while.



wendy and alan are coming over for our occasional movie and pizza this week as well. i think we're going to see the "bee movie." i can't wait!



i spoke with gina herbert last week. it sounds as though she's still having a rough time after her crash. bless her heart. please continue to keep her in your prayers. she still has a long way to go through therapy, etc...

mary continues to recouperate from her recent neck surgery. she asked that i thank everyone for their continued thoughts and prayers. she is hoping to return to full duty later this month.

quotes (i couldn't pick just one) for the day....

"if you believe it, you can make it happen.
that's all you need, is belief - and of course the willingness
to follow through on whatever needs to be done on your part"

-Barefoot Doctor-

"keep your goals away from the trolls"

-peter mcwilliams-

___________________

story for the day.....

two wolves

one evening an old cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. he said, "my son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all. one is evil. it is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. the other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence,empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith." the grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "which wolf wins?" the old cherokee simply replied, "the one you feed."

jane & mark bell - thank you so much for your kind words and job recommendation. you guys are great for my ego! i'm also thankful that your grandaughter, holly is doing so well!



elzie fish - thanks buddy for coming over and helping me put a battery tender on the harley! you know what withdrawal i go through when i can't go out and smell the fumes from time to time! i don't care what my dad says...i think you're okay!



dianna white - thanks, friend for keeping me informed and for all that you do. how does mexican food sound? lol

sandy belyus - i pray that you're feeling much better. i am also sorry that you and steve missed your vacation to warmer weather!

janet from seattle - congratulations on how you did at your sergeant's assessment center. good luck on a future promotion!

major bob booker - great talking with you yesterday. i continue to miss you and the rest of the senior staff!

gary humphries - i haven't forgotten about you....i'm trying to get my house in order before you and your wife visit. i'll be in touch. thanks for keeping me in your prayers. i also look forward to riding with you guys this summer!

until next time, expect to be blessed.....

lisa - 1095

march 1, 2008 - my soul takes refuge and finds shelter and confidence in You… (psalm 57:1)

top of the morning, friends!


thank you for all the birthday wishes! other than a few aches and pains, 44 doesn't feel too bad!


i appreciate the cards and calls - you guys have been great!



i hope this finds you all well and healthy. i'm getting better every day!



the picture here is of my friend ernestine, whose birthday is one day off from mine. happy 90th birthday, ernie!!!


i attended a motion to suppress hearing in wheeling yesterday on my case. the suspect's attorney was attempting to suppress the blood test, which showed a series of narcotics. fortunately, the magistrate ruled in our favor and as far as i know, the test will remain. thanks to my friend captain tina phillips, WVSP for her hospitality during my visit as well.


story for the day:

The Sands of Forgiveness

by Author Unknown

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face.
The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him.
After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?"
The other friend replied "When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."

LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.

wendy forbes - thank you so much for your continuing kindness!


OFLS friends - thank you as well for the lovely custom card! i really miss you guys.



nora fish - thanks for the letter. unfortunately, i will not be going to the engagement you mentioned, but i'd love to meet your family members sometime. thanks for keeping me lifted up.

quote for the day:

"it is not falling into the water, but lying in it, that drowns"

anonymous

prayer requests:

gil and char jones - they lost their daughter, tasha last week. tasha had been released from dodd hall at OSU after some reason health issues. shortly after she was released, she unexpectedly passed. this family desperately needs your prayers.



scott rike - scott is a friend and is a sergeant with the OSP and his father has been recently diagnosed with cancer. please pray for healing as well as favor for scott to be able to get geographically closer to his family.



tonya daniels - tonya is a friend and classmate of mine from franklin university. her mom has been diagnosed with breast cancer. she asks that we keep her family in our thoughts and prayers.


dale and naomi robirds - please continue to keep their son ryan in your prayers, as he continues to battle hodgekin's lymphoma.



terri west - terri's still recovering from foot surgery. please pray for improved coordination, as i've heard that she's taken a few "spills" lately! she and i have a similar record on falling!



dianna white - she's had one knee surgery....now she's waiting to have the other one done. dance lessons continue to be on hold.


mary pfeifer - as she recovers from neck surgery.


junior salyers - my sister's brother-in-law continues to battle emphasema and cancer.

for my motorcycling friends....a special video for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4mU8ZqMZPU

i will write again when i have more to report.....

until next time....be blessed!



lisa - 1095