30th Class Reunion

The class of 1984 celebrated "30 years since High School" last evening.

I can't figure out how that is possible since we are only 39 yrs. old!  :)

It was a very well organized evening of food and fellowship with classmates whom some we have not seen since we were seniors.  Some appeared to not have changed at all, some we did not recognize.  

 And yes, Dave & I did graduate together.

Sadly, I did not take enough pictures.

Here we are with Mr. Ketch, who was one of my teachers in Jr. High, and Mr. Sakusky (in wheelchair), who was my World Cultures teacher in 7th grade and Dave's football coach.

This was a buddy of Dave's.  They both could tell you about the terrible pranks

they played on their Vo-Ag teacher.

 

The name tags were great!  Quite a few times we had to look at them to figure out who was who.

My class schedule from 7th grade.

We won this for having the most grandchildren.

We enjoyed the evening and greatly appreciate all the hard work that the reunion committee put into planning the evening.

Until next time..............

A Window into My Past

Years pass by, we grow older, memories are made, but forced into the back of our minds due to the busyness of life.

However, every now and then those tucked in memories unfold and we reminiscence.

Back to my high school years....

In my senior year, I attended classes in the morning and then was dismissed to work at a job.  The job of my choice for a few months was a nurses aid at The Laurel Nursing Center.  I assisted in patient care, which included feeding, walking, changing and bathing the patients.  I enjoyed the work, but was offered a position in a Chiropractic office closer home.

I was hired in January, 1984 (still a senior in high school) to work at the front desk

answering phones

scheduling appointments

filling out insurance papers

developing xrays

typing typing typing

 Over the next few years, I traveled with them to seminars - once to the Fontainebleau Resort in Maimi, and a few times to Georgia to sit under the training of Dr. Harris.  I also got married in those years, but continued to work until November of 1988, a few months before our first baby was due to arrive.

I loved being a stay at home mom, but I did miss the Dr. and his wife, who taught me a lot, and the patients, who many had become good friends.  We stayed in touch for a short while, but as I said before, years pass by, life gets busy and we lose touch with friends that are out of our circles.

This coming November, it will be 26 years since I walked into the office as an employee and the time has arrived for the Dr. to retire.  My mom and I attended his retirement party last evening.

It was so good to see faces from my past, to walk through the office and reminiscence about the fun, busy times of yesteryear, a time that I am very grateful for!

The following was from a newsletter.

 

May God abundantly bless the Dr.'s retirement years! 

Windows into the past.......

Until next time...........

Just Drive!

  Dave & I were once passengers in a vehicle driven by a someone else.  The dear driver loved to talk, which became a huge distraction to him and to all other passengers.  I found it is very stressful to be a back seat driver!!  I wondered if we would arrive home safely or if our children would receive a grim phone call instead.

By the time we returned home, Dave had a pounding headache and I was so tense and stressed all I wanted to do was scream - literally! 

 But, being the kind, sweet mother that I am, I would NEVER think of screaming at anyone, oh no!  Never!

I instead was grouchy, miserable and short with everyone - that is what kind, sweet mama's are allowed to do, you know - take out frustrations and tension on innocent bystanders, while the real culprit is innocently and peacefully eating his supper somewhere.

What it made me realize, though, is that my hubby is not so bad a driver after all!

For you see, it is well known in our family that dad is not the best driver at times, for he is what we call,

"A Farmer Driver."

Farmer Drivers sit in the driver's seat, but their mind and eyes are on the lush pasture, the fatted cow, or tasseled corn field that is zooming by the side windows. 

 The farmer's wife has no idea what is even out the side windows, for her eyes are glued on the road ahead, she becomes light headed from holding her breathe, and when the destination is reached, the ability to be sweet was left among the tasseled corn. (slightly exaggerated  :) but you got the point!)

Farmer & Wife have reached a pact.  

If he feels the need to be curious about how successful the passing farmers are,

 Wife turns chauffeur (and that is not exaggerated!).

Besides Farmer Drivers, there are other kinds of drivers.

Drivers who think that the road was paved just for them - Conceited Drivers.

If they are on the road, you are expected to just deal with whatever you have to do to avoid hitting them.

Such as, whipping it off the side of the road, which has a drop-off, causing the bottom of the van to put a huge gash in the macadam.  The noise of macadam pieces flying around and around in the belts under my hood made me think that van had major problems and was deemed un-drivable by this frustratednowI'mgoingtobelate driver.

I am sure you can think of many other kinds of drivers, including the oblivious one in the passing lane going 10mph slower than everyone else, forcing everyone else to pass them on the right.  Or the hot tempered driver who makes you understand why God sent the flood!
 Of course, the addicted driver is pretty popular today - not always sure if their addiction is alchol or texting - they drive the same.

We can chuckle at the humorous picture that I painted in your mind, but really! it is more maddening than it is funny!

Driving a vehicle is a very serious responsibility!

The lives of passengers in your car and the lives of everyone else on the road (and sometimes off the road) are held in the hands that are suppose to be gripping the steering wheel.  Speaking of gripping the wheel - it is not possible to do so if you are drinking a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper while attempting to drive!
Doesn't work!

It's only a matter of time for these drivers.

Unfortunately, the innocent also suffers from the irresponsibility of these manic drivers.

When you and I are sitting in the driver's seat of any moving vehicle,
whether it be big or small, slow or fast, old or new, our main responsibility is to
 just drive.

Be observant!  

Be Cautious!

Look ahead!  

Look behind (using mirrors, of course)! 

Be in control!  

Be respectful!  

Pull over to eat, text, put on makeup!

Keep your mind on driving!

Having a driver's license with that wonderful, flattering photo means we passed learner's permit test and the driver's test at the DMV, but how do we drive when we aren't trying to impress the cop?
Did our skills go down hill?
I sadly think so!

Until next time.........

Vacation 2014 & 200th Post

Each year, my family alternates between the cabin and my brother's homestead for our vacation.

This year was the year to go to my brother's.

It is nice, for it is close to home, but still "away" and they have a beautiful place with something everyone can enjoy to do.

We had the absolute perfect weather!

No humidity or bugs

Cool enough for campfires

Great food

Good fellowship

Lots of fun

The children participated in a cookie baking contest

The contestants

The judges

Cookies were judged on presentation/appearance, taste, texture, and preference on a sliding scale of 1 being the worst, 5 being the best

#10 Starlight Mint Surprise was the winner!

Corn pit

Did you ever play in one of these?  Fun!

Reading time

Relaxing time

Eating area

Quoits pit

 

Hockey

This was so fun!  I hadn't played this since high school!

Story time with Aunt Mary

Campfires

My dad started this invention before he passed away, but it never was completed until recently.  My brother completed it and we were able to enjoy it's first workout.  Raspberry and vanilla ice-cream was the result! 

Here is a YouTube of it in action

right here

And then, Monday morning it was back to reality and the rat race once again!  Shame, but that is just how life goes, right?  Can't make a living on vacation, or could we somehow?
 Ummmmm....have to think on that a bit.  :)

Thank you, Lord, for providing a wonderful vacation with family once again!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 And about the "post" thing?  Yep, this is my 200th post on this blog.
 
Thanks for traveling along with me over the years and sharing this "diary" of my life.
 I would love to have you share with me which was your favorite post? 
What do you like or dislike about the blog?
Any other comments

If you comment on this blog post, you will be entered into a drawing to win a copy of the cookbook, "Feeding the Flock" that was put together by my mother for my 40th birthday.  The recipes are from my family and friends.  The winner will be chosen on Sunday, Aug. 31st, so when you comment, make sure you check the box to "Email follow-up comments to......."
(Some of my friends are telling me that they can't leave a comment on here.  My settings are what they should be, so I am unsure why a message can't be left.  I am sorry.  You could also try emailing me using the contact form on the right of the column)

Until next time.........

Nuthin'

Years ago, we watched a documentary on the Appalachian people.  The film was called, "The True Meaning of Pictures:  Shelby Lee Adams' Appalachia."  I cannot recall all the details, but I remember there was a minister who handled snakes in his church services, the people were very poor, and the pictures were amazing.  

And one scene that made an impression on me.  

The photographer asked one of the men, "What do you do all day?" to which the man replied in his slow, lazy drawl, "Nuthin."  Somehow, I believed him, for the "nuthin'" was evident when looking at his surroundings and home condition.

It stuck - that word - that concept - that idea - that "nuthin' "!  

It seems like for the majority of people, there is always plenty to do.  In fact, there is usually way too much to do... ...

House repairs

Meals

Cleaning

Laundry

Church 

School

Sports

Vehicle upkeep

Animals to feed

Shopping

Charity work

Exercising

Current Events

And the list can go on & on 

And I haven't even mentioned going to work to make a living!

I often think about that Appalachian man and wonder what it would be like to do nuthin' all day?

And that thought leads me to wonder how I would feel about myself after that day of doing nuthin'?

How would others feel about me if I did nuthin'?

What does that really look like?  To do nuthin'?

I must admit that I am tempted to find out!

The crazy rat race that we get ourselves into can have us speeding at such a high rate that we cannot pull off the track to refuel.

  Around and around we go!  

And after awhile, we are not enjoying the scenery nor can we slow down enough to take an exit ramp!

We whiz by Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, January, April, June, 2010, 2011, 2013!   

Gone!  They are gone!  Never to be seen again!

And what took place on those days that made an eternal difference? 

Who knows? 

 We were so busy hanging on for dear life and trying to pass the car ahead of us!

Well, I am tired of racing with the rats!

The emergency break is being applied, I am looking for the exit sign that reads, "Nuthin'ville" and I  am taking it!

When I arrive, I am going to sit in a big rocking chair with a thick cushion,

read a book, listen to the birds and the rippling brook. Watch the green leaves of the mighty oak tree sway in the peaceful breeze, smell the honeysuckle that is growing right beside the quaint wooden porch that I am doing nuthin' on.  I will watch the sun sink below the horizon and the stars come to life in the night sky.  The peepers will serenade me while I rest my head back, close my eyes and dream happy, peaceful dreams.

And then....

reality will hit!

In Nuthin'ville, the stomach rumbles,

the weeds overtake the landscape

the rocker breaks

the book comes to an end

the leaves fall off the tree

the skunks move in under the porch

self worth grows cheap
and our bodies grow weak
and we start losing our minds

Now what?

Yes, now what?

Have to get back in the race and look for a different exit sign.

One that is between "High-speed" and "Nuthin'ville"

When I find it, I will send you a postcard!

Until next time from my pit stop..........

Question of Direction

Standing in the middle of a crossroad 

looking east

then looking west

no, how 'bout south

or maybe north?

Should I or shouldn't I?

And if so, should I do something different?

Are you wondering what on earth am I talking about?

Blogging....

This blog has been my diary for years. 

 I highlighted important events in our lives and my goal is to have it printed into a book for me to keep.

But, in my blogging journey, I have reached this crossroads.

 

Do I stop blogging for good or for a season?

Do I still blog keeping it the same or change it and take it in a different direction?

I don't have the answer and haven't for quite some time,

so

at this time, I am taking a break from blogging

and will be in prayer on what the Lord wants me to do

with

BeingTriedAsGold. 

Thanks for sticking with me all these years!  

Until next time (maybe) .........

 

The Lactate Consultant and the Dr.

Kelsey is nursing little Toby.  She was having some problems and remembered that she was told that she can call the hosp. and be able to talk to a lactate consultant.  So she called the hosp. and they said that they would transfer her to that dept. just hold on.....

ring...ring....ring...

A deep MALE voice..."Hello"

"ummmm, is this a lactate consultant?" 

(dear Kelsey's mind is racing...why do they have a man doing this job?)

'a WHAT?"

"a lactate consultant?"

"WHAT is a lactate consultant?"

"someone who helps women with nursing their babies"

"Oh, God, NO!  I am just a patient!!"

Hospital blooper for sure!!!!

  Haven't laughed that hard in a long time.  Visions of this man laying in his hosp. bed and gets a call with that kind of question!   We are hoping that he found it as humorous as we did!


Then she reminded me of another phone call she made in the middle of the night when she went into labor with Morgan.  She needed to call her Dr., so she dialed the number....


ring....ring....ring...
a very sleepy voice, "hello"
"is this Dr. Weiner?"
"who?"
"Dr. Weiner?"
"oh, no, you got the wrong number"


I am sure that poor woman was certain that someone was playing a prank on her.


What makes these calls even more humorous is the fact that Kelsey does NOT like making phone calls and didn't even before she made these 2 calls.  She is just so thankful that she does not know the recipients of her calls and that we can get a good laugh about them.

Until next time.....

New Career

When we are young, we want to be older, when we are old, we want to be younger.  When we are in school, we want to be out and then when we are out of school, we wished we were back in.  

Well, now as a wife, mother and grammy, I regret being in a hurry to be "out" and not taking the time to pursue more knowledge and a nursing degree.  That medical knowledge would've been quite useful in the past years, and future years, of raising children.  But, school just wasn't my thing at 17-18 years old - out, out, out - I wanted to get a job, earn money, have fun and that is what I did.  

Now at the ripe old age of almost 47, I am going back to school - to be that nurse!   I am hoping to join a medical team that is doing research on the benefits of sunshine and the mental effects of too much or too little of it.

Aren't you excited for me?
   

Thanks, I thought maybe you would be!

Well, guess what.......

I gotcha!

April Fools!!

No nursing school for me right now anyway.  Maybe when I am 60.......
and the mental effects of too much or too little sunshine?  Well, this post is a typical example of "too little".  Lack of Vita D does funny things to the imagination!

Until next time..........

Worms, Worms, Worms

When a word is said enough times, it begins to not sound like a word at all, or it seems like a foreign language.  Worm is one of those words.   How did Adam think up that name?   He didn't have a dictionary and he never had a vocabulary class!  Come to think about it, why did he call a cow a cow, or giraffe a giraffe and so on?  Amazing! 

Anyway, worms are small, amazing creatures and following is an agricultural lesson.  Enjoy!

A few months ago, we purchased some red wriggler worms on the Internet and they (250 of them) arrived in this bag.....

  

Red wrigglers are not considered fishing bait, but they are used for composting.  My goal is to have them multiply, sell some to other folks, sell the worm castings (their manure), and possibly make a "tea" from the castings and sell it for fertilizer.  This whole process will take awhile, but it is a fun goal.  This is how we are "raising" them..... 

We put clean, good soil in a Rubbermaid container with strips of black & white print newspaper and made the soil damp, not muddy. 

We tilted the bag of worms, which arrived in sawdust, and dumped them on top of the damp soil.  We didn't mess much with them, except spread them around just slightly.  We then covered the container with an old towel and searched for a dark place to keep them.  Their home couldn't be too hot nor too cold, so they ended up in our living room under one of the chairs. How hick-ish is that?   Raising worms in the living room!  I was really hoping that they didn't develop an odor.

We discovered that their favorite menu is pieces of apple core (not peelings), & cooked sweet potatoes.  Feeding them meat, citrus, and food that may rot and draw in rodents is not recommended.  We would just lay the food on top of the soil (food can be mixed in with soil, also),  cover with towel and push container back under the chair for a few days.  There is no odor and it is so interesting and fun to pull it out, quickly uncover and watch the worms dive underground for safety and darkness! 

Worms are God-created farmers.  They burrow through the soil, making tunnels that allow air and water to more easily penetrate the soil.  This also creates soft soil and soft soil provides an excellent bed for seeds.  The worm's manure, called castings, fertilize the soil with the perfect balance of nutrients.  Worms do not like light, but prefer dark.  That is why fishermen hunt for worms at night, hence "night crawlers".  They will come to the surface of the earth and pull their food down into the soil, which creates a composting effect.  They do not have eyes or ears, but only a mouth and it's whole body can taste and feel.  They have bristles, or setae, which they use to help move along and to hang onto the soil, especially if a bird is trying to pull them from the ground.  They can hang on so well, that the bird will sometimes tear them in half.  Now the part of the worm that contains the head will grow again, but the tail end will die, of course.  When the worm grows after being torn apart, the new growth will be a lighter color.  If you look closely at a worm you will see a section that is thicker than the rest.  That is called a saddle and it secretes a slim to help them stay moist and it also protects the eggs.  A worm creates a cocoon to lay her 20 eggs in, but only one will survive.  Conventional farming is not friendly to worms.  Pesticides and other chemicals used by farmers kill them and when fertilizer is spread on fields it suffocates them.  If you have lots of worms in the soil, there would be no need to use fertilizers  If a comparison is made between organic soil and pesticide/or other chemical sprayed soil, there is a very noticeable difference.  So much more can be said about the seemingly lowly worm, but maybe you would like to do your own research.  The library has some very interesting books and easy for children to understand.  This lesson was taught to my 1st & 2nd grade ag science class at our homeschool co-op and hopefully now you will look at worms in a whole new light, too.  Our family has a new appreciation for those crawly creatures and now when it rains and they cover the road, we feel sad driving over them.  God has created them for a wonderful purpose and they are a huge benefit to the farmers!  They are small, but mighty!

Until next time................

Are You Voting?

Yes?  No?  Maybe?

In the church that I was brought up in, members did not vote for government officials nor serve in any gov't positions.  If that stand is your very own personal conviction, than take that stand, but do not force it on other people.  It is not a church issue.  It is also not a sin to vote and that thought became exceptionally very clear to us after we watched "The Truth Project" years ago.  Dr. Tackett explains the different God ordained "social spheres".  They include: the Trinity, God & Man, family, church, community, labor and the state.  (Check it out Here) Scriptures speak about each of these spheres, the responsibility and authority that is within each one.  We have injected each one with our own "convictions" and have put on our muddy boots and tracked dirt that belonged in the state sphere into the family spheres.  We took the smear from the church sphere and made tracks into the family sphere.   Presently we have federal gov't with it's filthy feet in all spheres, we have the state over-riding the authority of the fathers, the elders of the church have become dictators into the family sphere and so on.  This is not what God had so beautifully intended.   He created each sphere, works in each one and they are not to be muddled together. 

Conservative Christians have readily excepted the responsibilities in some of the spheres, but will stumble over the church and state spheres.  Husbands and fathers will be the head of their homes, will decide which occupation he will labor at and determine where the family will live.  However, they will permit the church to dictate what their family will wear, what color vehicle their family will drive, what places they can visit and sometimes where their children attend school.  They allow the church to inappropriately step into their family territory. In the church sphere, the state has now tiptoed into the sanctuary and is sitting in the pews - out of place.  God has ordained elders who are to act as shepherds, not dictators, to lead their flocks.  They also are required to stay in their sphere and not cross over into the God & man or the labor spheres.  If God has ordained each sphere and is present in each one, why do some folks believe that we should avoid the "state"?   If God has ordained the state, he has also created some people to serve in it.  If Christians are allowed to live in the "God & Man", "family", "church", "community" and "labor" spheres, and serve in them, why is the state taboo?  If you are not permitted to vote for the leaders of this country, and expect "others" to vote for them, prayer is all you will do, then why is voting for your church leaders excepted?  Why not let "others" vote them in, or wait until prayer puts in who God wants in ? (I totally believe that prayer is the first thing we must do in any voting, however, the shoe leather needs to hit the road sometime.)

God may not have called you to run for the Senate nor township superviser, but He cares tremendously who is in those positions.  He also cares that we care.  Depending on the person voted into those positions, along with many other gov't leadership positions, it will effect our freedoms to worship, labor and lead our families according to how God meant it to be in that sphere. We are responsible to elect in those positions people who will honor God and lead the people according to God's principles.  We practice that in a our church sphere, don't we?  We need to fall on our knees and ask God to restore this country, raise up men who will be leaders that glorify Him and continue to allow the freedoms we enjoy each day.   Let us remove our muddy boots, lace up those clean, work boots and march into the workforce that lies ahead of us.   It is our responsibility!  Especially in the fast approaching presidential election.  It's critical!  This is the last week that you can register if you intend to vote in November.

 Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote. 

I cannot explain this topic as deeply as Dave can, but he didn't have time to write.  He has spent much time studying the ideas of voting vs. not voting, being involved in gov't vs. not, and non-resistance.  He would be happy to discuss what we have learned.  You may have to make an appointment with him, however. :-)

Blessings to you, as you seek to serve HIM in each sphere of your life.

Until next time........

Blunder in the Blender

There is one duty about being a wife that I have never enjoyed and still don't.  Dave sympathizes and helps when able, but it really is my wifey duty and when I do it, I can rest in peace for the rest of the day. :-)   That duty is packing lunch.  Dave must be the easiest person to pack for but, I still don't care for the job.  He loves cold leftovers!  And for the last few months, he prefers a light lunch - milkshake, fruit, nuts......    Well, this past Friday, I made his usual milkshake.  There was some that didn't fit in the thermos so he poured it in a cup and took a sip.  He immediately responded with "what did you put in this?" all the while pulling tiny bits of "something" from his mouth.  I said, "frozen bananas, strawberries, blueberries, yogurt and milk."  "Well, it tastes like lunch meat!"  I took a sip and it certainly did taste like lunch meat!  Gross!  Here what I thought were bananas, were really hotdogs!   Now, just wait!  Don't go thinking I am loony!  I did have my glasses on and yes, I was awake and yes, I really do love my husband!   We buy bananas by the case, peel them, break them in half and freeze them on trays.  After they are frozen, we put them in ziplok bags and whenever a milkshake is desired, we reach into the freezer and take out a few and put them in blender with other ingredients.  After a time in the freezer they can turn a light brown and get a little frosty.  I knew that we were almost out of bananas that morning, but ahhh haaa!  I found a bag with just 2 halves left and I just tilted the bag and dumped them right into the blender!   Waalaa!  A delicious nutritious milkshake, or so I thought.  Well, every now and then, Ben brings home some goodies from the butcher shop and some of the goodies were hotdogs and guess what?  we put them in ziplok bags in the freezer. 

Here is a test for you......is this a bag of bananas or hotdogs?

Well, they are......sƃopʇoɥ

Anyway, we had a really good laugh that morning, and that afternoon, and the next day!  I told him that my blunder was worse than his blunder and maybe we could call it even up.  You see, one day I was looking high and low for my liquid stevia.  Finally, one of the boys found it in the freezer.  Who put the stevia in the freezer?  You guessed it!  My man!  I reminded him that it only belongs in the fridge (and actually he got it out of there).  Well, about 2 days later - no stevia.  Couldn't find it again!  In the freezer!  After another reminder...thought it was all good.  Well, the next day he went to put it away again and was all ready to put it in the ....... where?  THE FREEZER!  The boys were giving him a hard time and he is now thinking about pressing harassment charges. ;-) 

Saturday night Dave wanted to have a cookout on the campfire.  He politely informed me that since I put the hotdogs in his milkshake, all I can have is grilled bananas.  ummmm....would that really be a terrible punishment?  Certainly didn't sound as bad as hotdogs in milkshakes.  Maybe I should give it a try.

Actually, they were delicious!  I had sprinkled some honey and cinnamon on top before grilling.  So, which would you choose?  A grilled banana in a bun or a hotdog with strawberries and blueberries?

Until next time...............

Huh? Say What? (continuation of health journey)

Methylisothiazolinone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Bisphenol-A, Diethanolamine, Monoethanolamine, Triethanolamine, DMDM hydantoin, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sodium Lauryl sulfate.  How did you fare?  Were you able to pronounce any of those words?  No?  Ummmm........Well, maybe we would have learned them if we would have taken a class on toxic materials for that is what they are.  The sad part of it is that these toxic materials are found in the shampoos, deodorants, and other personal items that we use. 

Now, lets try this set of words - Potassium Bromate, Sulfur Dioxide, BHA and BHT, Sodium Nitrate/Sodium Nitrite, Monosodium Glutamate, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Aspartame, Curcumin Erythrosine, Vanillin.  Some of these may be easier to pronounce, but they are as toxic as the first list.  The only difference is that these are found in foods that grace the supermarket shelves and are consumed by human beings.    I do not want to go into detail of what they are, but I would highly encourage you spend some time with "Google" and you may be very surprised!

Our family's chemical-free quest began many years ago.  We were experiencing some frustrating times in our schooling with difficulty learning and behaviour issues.  Dave happened to hear a commercial on the radio for the Feingold Diet and after we researched it, we were convinced to give it a try.  From there, we started learning even more about food ingredients and better food choices.  Over time we have witnessed an increase in public awareness of this issue and some manufacturers and food producers making changes according to people's interest.  However, most have not, for it is easier and cheaper to use the chemicals.  Even though we have adopted Dr. Feingold's way of eating ever since, and have removed even more foods, like hydrogenated oils and "white" stuff, we have never addressed what we were putting on our skin until within the last few months.  In my research of thyroid issues, it became very evident that what we put ON our bodies, and not just what we put IN our bodies, has an effect on our health.  After all, how do we de-worm a cow or dog?  By pouring dewormer down their backs along the spine and it is absorbed through the skin into their system.  What about wearing a patch for car sickness or for other health issues?  Whatever is on patch gets absorbed into the skin to do its job.  Our skin is porous (very obvious) so it absorbs all the toxic chemicals named at the beginning of this post right into our systems as well!  Some of them attack the nervous system, while others attack the endocrine system and others cause severe allergic reaction.  It always amazes me that drinking raw milk is considered by "certain" people to be a health hazard, but nothing is said about the poisons that the USDA approves to put in our foods and personal care items.  Maybe that kind of thinking is the result of using too much toxic filled shampoo!  heehee!  No, wait! It's not funny!  It is madness!  Maybe we should take a closer look at those labels, do our own research and say, "out with store bought shampoo, out with the fluoride toothpaste, out with the paper mill waste called "vanillin", out with food colorings and preservatives, and in with products that can be pronounced by a first grader."  Yup, by people who do not have a bachelors degree in English!  I will share the changes we made and some recipes, but, sorry, you will have to wait.....

Until next time........

Dear Moms...

Dear Stay-at-Home Mom,

You are a gift of God to your husband and your kids.

But you don’t always feel that way, do you?

There’s a low-level feeling of guilt that creeps into your heart from time to time. Sometimes it bubbles over into tears, usually on lonely, difficult days.

You scan blogs and read books about being a good mom. You find some helpful tidbits here and there, often from women who are grandmothers now. Women you can learn from but who seem to have forgotten the struggle. They seem to have it all together.

In your heart, you want to be the kind of mom who trains up kids to make a difference for the kingdom. You know it’s an honor to be entrusted with these kids. You know you’ve only got one shot. You want to be the mom who teaches them the Bible, models how to pray, and trains them up in the fear of the Lord.

But most of the time you feel like you’re barely holding it all together.

Your house cleaning can’t keep up with your kids’ mess-making.

The kids embarrass you by acting up right when your guests arrive.

Your husband doesn’t get just how worn out you are by the end of the day.

You come to the end of your patience. You lose your temper. Then you feel worse.

The last thing you consider yourself to be is a “good mom.” And you think to yourself, It’ll be a miracle if my kids turn out okay.

And – surprisingly – that’s right where God wants to meet you. The place where you admit your powerlessness and your need for Him.

It’s only by God’s grace that any kid grows up to be a force for the kingdom.

You see, there are no perfect kids and no perfect mothers. No matter what you read in blogs, see in magazines, and learn in books. There are sinful kids and sinful moms and dads.

And the only thing greater than both is the grace of God. The God who says “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” The God who loves to forgive, to transform, and empower.

God loves you – not because you are a good mother but just because you are His precious child.

God loves you – not because you’ve mastered all the skills of parenting but because He has.

It’s divine grace that will transform your parenting – not guilt.

It’s grace that will keep you going and serving and scrubbing when you’re exhausted and worn out.

It’s grace that will conquer your feelings of inadequacy and remind you of God’s love for you in Christ.

It’s grace that goes for the heart of your kids, not just their behavior.

God has demonstrated the fullness of His love for you through the cross of His Son, even while you were still a sinner.

He has promised you His presence.

He has spoken His approval over you in Christ.

He is the perfect Father who delights in you as a daughter.

Find in Him your Treasure and Joy. Be to others what He is to you.

So walk in freedom. Let Him hold you together when everything seems to be falling apart.

Bask in His unfailing love for you. And rest in His promise of power.

This letter was penned by a gentleman named Trevin Wax. He’s the managing editor of the Gospel Project as part of LifeWay Christian Resources.

I copied it from Jim Daly's (from Focus on the Family) blog, which you can read Here

Until next time......

It Is Not Mine Anyway!

No, it really isn't!  I once thought it was, but to tell you the truth, I don't want it back.  I did not build it, but Someone else did and that Someone else knows far more about it than I do.  He took great care in the architecture layout and has designed it so amazingly! His plans from the beginning were to take up residence in it and stay for as long as He is made welcome.  My responsibility is to keep the doors wide open, to keep it clean, pure and surrendered to the Designer.  Can anyone guess the riddle?

In my recent post of my thyroid story, I shared some of the parts of my journey in trying to find "Better Health".  Since that post, I came to realize that something seriously was missing.  I had become consumed in frustration, bitterness and un-thankfulness, which only added to the "sickness".  I was trying to do it alone.  The big bad  I was searching for answers and attempting to find healing solutions for my body and I was totally leaving the designer out in the cold. I felt so defeated and then conviction took hold of me.  Change!  I needed to make some changes   So, I started over in my quest by repenting, thanking God for all the trials He brings into our lives, and then surrendering my body, my sickness, my healing to the One whose temple it is by receiving the healing annointing of oil.   This should have been my first step and the first one I recommended to you before any search of a good book, a good website and an earthly Physician.  The Architech, the Builder of this vast universe, of all living things, who knows all the stars, knows the number of hairs on my head, has designed each amazing cell in my body and I wonder if I can trust Him?!  Can I not just trust Him in some things, but in every single thing in my life?  Sigh!  I want Him to be able to walk into every room of my heart and every fiber of my being and find a welcoming mat to wipe His feet and a recliner to rest in.  This earthly body is His residence, and I want Him to use it however He deems best and be glorified, whether healthy or sickly, rich or poor, skinny or chubby!  :-)    I want to be able to say as Job did "even though He slay me, still will I trust Him".  I have come to realize though, that this is not a once and done surrender.  It is daily and sometimes hourly, and when I start to be tempted to do it alone, I hope I can always remember that being in that position only opens the doors to anything but peace, joy and happiness.   Does this surrender mean then that I can eat and treat my body half-hearted and with carelessness?  If our bodies are to be called a temple of the Lord, then 1st Chronicles 29:1-5 will give us an idea of how important the input is. 

To be continued......

Until next time........

Sabotaged!

I have not updated about my journey to Better Health since March and you probably wondered if I careened into a ditch somewhere and got forever lost.  Well, I haven't got lost and I am still on the road, even down 2 more #'s, but I have been sabotaged by this companion that was traveling with me.  He has been very influential in my life and sometimes he treats me good and other times he is a menace.   He has caused me to divert my full attention from Diet Highway 101 to the paralleling route of Highway Metabolism.  My companion's name is Thyroid and I knew it was time for me to get at the bottom of our relationship and find out why he has to be so disagreeable. 

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism after our first child, Ben, was born in 1989.  Read the beginning of the story here.  At the end of that post in Feb. 2011, my med dose was being decreased.  Over the next year, they went up again.  So, I was back on the roller coaster and becoming increasingly frustrated.  I made an appt. with a specialist, who charged me hundreds of $'s to not tell me anything I didn't already know!  Plus, he didn't really care what I had to say, HE was the Dr. and HE knows me better than I know myself - NOT!  Back to family Dr., who changed my meds once more and than informed me that I really do need to see a specialist. I cannot describe how totally exasperated I felt.  Is there really nobody out there that knows to do anything different than keep putting a band aide on this problem, plus care what their patients have to say?  All blood tests that I had done this year so far, have come back with me being borderline hyper, which means I needed my meds reduced.  My exercise regiment ended, for I was once again having chest and shoulder pain and when I would do any exercising I thought my heart would be beat out of my chest.  I realized that for me to find answers and help, I would need to do it myself, which I should have done years ago.  So, I turned to Google, books from the library, and any other info that I can get my hands on.  I spent days sitting at the computer desperately searching for answers that many other's seemed to be looking for, too.  One day, God whispered in my ear that I should seek help from a mid-wife.  Would a mid-wife understand hormones better?  Be more open to other options?  I contacted one locally and to make a long story short, they can do my blood work, order tests that I want, order the dose that I know I need, and they are excited to learn right along with me.  They are accountable to a med. Dr., who is VERY willing to listen to his patients and take their suggestions to heart.  Exciting!!  Through my research, I learned of other blood work that Dr's. should also take when the thyroid function is in question, but rarely do they order them.  It is so much easier to use that band aid instead of fixing the root illness.  When the test results came back, they revealed that I have Hashimoto's, which is an auto-immune disease that is caused by allergies, stress, toxins, and a few other things.  The disease attacked my thyroid and caused hypothyroidism.  One of the symptoms that I have been experiencing for years was the tremendous fluctuation in TSH levels - hypo to hyper - back & forth.  Ahhhh....that's me and finally I have an explanation and hopefully a solution.  An elimination diet is suggested - gluten, dairy, grain free.  Eat lots of veggies, fruit and meat!  And make some lifestyle changes.  I am still in the learning stage, so I will continue to share info. with you as I learn it.

So, do I still want to lose weight?  Absolutely! But, for me to do that, I have to also focus on getting my metabolism to work properly or the journey would be next to impossible.  I have new motivation to stay clear from wheat and sugar!  And to share my story in hopes of helping others who are also traveling this frustrating road with a companion who is at odds with them, too.  I want to encourage you who may be suffering with this to do your research, go to your Dr. and ask for the tests that you want.  He may think you are off your rocker, but don't let that intimidate you.  And if he does not listen, find someone who will.   Also,  I am reminded that we have a Great Physician who can heal even the worst disease, who hears all our concerns and who cares greatly for us.  My thoughts have been on a certain woman who had suffered for 12 years with bleeding.  She made her way through a crowd of people and said "if I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole".  And Jesus said to her "Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole" and she was healed!  Matthew 9:20  I love that story and I want that kind of faith, also!     

To be continued......

     Until next time.......