I received this email from someone this morning. I found it very timely. Life is generally going very well for me, but as in everyone's life, there are little things that make us sad, discouraged or overwhelmed along the way. I hope that this encourages you as much as it did me.
Rejoicing in Tribulation
"And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience." (Romans 5:3)
One of the most powerful evidences of the saving power of the Christian faith is the ability of true Christians to endure suffering and loss with joy. The apostle Paul endured such (note 2 Corinthians 11:21-33) but could still "glory" in these sufferings. Actually this word in our text for the day is the same Greek word translated "rejoice" in the preceding verse, "rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:2), and "joy," in a later verse, "we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:11).
This remarkable ability to rejoice in tribulation characterized not only great Christian leaders like Paul, but ordinary believers in every walk of life. When the early Christians lost their possessions in the great wave of persecutions they were encountering, the testimony was that "ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance" (Hebrews 10:34). These early believers, like many others through the years, "received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost" (1 Thessalonians 1:6).
There is a good reason why Christians can endure tribulations with joy, "inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy" (1 Peter 4:13). We always have the example and incentive of Christ Himself before us, "who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).
Therefore, we can be "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing" (2 Corinthians 6:10), knowing that "the joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10), and Christ has promised that "your joy no man taketh from you" (John 16:22). HMM
Monday, September 14, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Remembering The Day
Most of us who were alive at the time of JFK's assassination remember where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news. We often clearly remember events from the past when they are associated with a personal life changing event. Today I am remembering the day my world changed, September 11, 2001.
I had just gotten out of the shower and sat down in front of the television in my bedroom to put on my makeup. The broadcasters were showing footage of a plane which had flown into one of the World Trade Center towers. The billowing smoke mingled with the faces of concern, fear and dismay. It is amazing that as the second plane hit the second tower...in a split second...my world seemed to change. Suddenly, in that one moment, the events of the morning went from a terrible, tragic accident to an intentional attack. My mind shifted into a shocked haze. The images and information of the unfolding events poured out of televisions and radios across the nation like water over Niagara Falls.
I was watching those images replay this morning as I was performing the same tasks of preparing to go to work. It was unsettling to remember, yet I know it is important that I do remember. The emotions of eight years came tumbling back. This time there was no haze, but there was a resentment, anger, indignation over what had occurred. I was thinking about the senseless loss, the pain, the anguish, the fear, the grief...and then He said, "You need to forgive them." Boy, I wasn't expecting that one.
When I am offended by someone, when my feelings get hurt, when I am treated badly, usually it doesn't take me very long to forgive the one who inflicted the pain. I remember that Jesus forgave me of my sins, so I have no right to harbor unforgiveness against anyone. Some how I guess I felt with this national tragedy that I had a right to not forgive, to not release it...to hang on to bitterness and anger. I am not talking about forgetting what took place. I am talking about forgiving them, even if they do not want or ask for forgiveness. I need to forgive because Jesus forgave me of every thing that I have done, thought, and said that "fell short" of His glory. We still need to be willing to fight to protect our rights as a nation, but to do it out of protection for our country and innocent people as opposed to fighting to exact revenge because we hate them.
I don't think the Lord is asking me to forget all about what happened. I need to honor the memory of those who were lost in those planes, in the buildings...those that served and lost their lives struggling to save others. The Lord is not asking me to be foolish and purposefully to invite danger in, simply because I have chosen to forgive. On the contrary, scripture admonishes us to be "wise as serpents and innocent as doves." He is not asking me to trust those who committed these terrible acts. As a matter of fact, there is no place in scripture where we are told to trust anyone but God. So, I don't have to trust those who did this, I don't have to behave foolishly and enter into unsafe situations, but I am called to forgive them.
Forgiveness frees us from being tied to those we are harboring unforgiveness toward. Unforgiveness keeps a link between us and the other party. It is as if we carry that person around piggyback style until we forgive them. They weigh us down. The emotions of unforgiveness are exhausting and punish the one who is choosing to not forgive as opposed to punishing the person that needs to be forgiven. I, for one, do not want to carry around more emotional baggage and heaviness. I want to live "lightly", without the burdens of unforgiveness or resentment dragging me down. Forgiveness is the gift we give ourselves.
So, on this anniversary of 9/11...the anniversary of the day that something terrible happened, I am choosing to forgive those who committed these horrendous acts. I will never forget what happened, but I relinquish any right that I might have to punish them in return. Instead, I turn them over to the Lord. I repent of my lack of forgiveness. Yes, I fully support and am extremely grateful for our troops who selflessly fight to protect us, but I leave it up to the Lord to dole out any retribution or punishment. Vengeance belongs to God.
I pray that next year when the same images flood over my television screen, that I will notice a heart change. Sure there will be sadness over the loss and the senselessness of it all, but I pray there will also be a deep groaning in my soul because of the "lost-ness", if that is even a word, of those who were so lost in their way that they endeavored to do such evil. They are so very lost. Lord, please replace the bitterness and unforgiveness in my heart with your compassion and forgiveness. Jesus died to save them, just as He died to save me. He loves them as much as He loves me. I need to remember that.
I had just gotten out of the shower and sat down in front of the television in my bedroom to put on my makeup. The broadcasters were showing footage of a plane which had flown into one of the World Trade Center towers. The billowing smoke mingled with the faces of concern, fear and dismay. It is amazing that as the second plane hit the second tower...in a split second...my world seemed to change. Suddenly, in that one moment, the events of the morning went from a terrible, tragic accident to an intentional attack. My mind shifted into a shocked haze. The images and information of the unfolding events poured out of televisions and radios across the nation like water over Niagara Falls.
I was watching those images replay this morning as I was performing the same tasks of preparing to go to work. It was unsettling to remember, yet I know it is important that I do remember. The emotions of eight years came tumbling back. This time there was no haze, but there was a resentment, anger, indignation over what had occurred. I was thinking about the senseless loss, the pain, the anguish, the fear, the grief...and then He said, "You need to forgive them." Boy, I wasn't expecting that one.
When I am offended by someone, when my feelings get hurt, when I am treated badly, usually it doesn't take me very long to forgive the one who inflicted the pain. I remember that Jesus forgave me of my sins, so I have no right to harbor unforgiveness against anyone. Some how I guess I felt with this national tragedy that I had a right to not forgive, to not release it...to hang on to bitterness and anger. I am not talking about forgetting what took place. I am talking about forgiving them, even if they do not want or ask for forgiveness. I need to forgive because Jesus forgave me of every thing that I have done, thought, and said that "fell short" of His glory. We still need to be willing to fight to protect our rights as a nation, but to do it out of protection for our country and innocent people as opposed to fighting to exact revenge because we hate them.
I don't think the Lord is asking me to forget all about what happened. I need to honor the memory of those who were lost in those planes, in the buildings...those that served and lost their lives struggling to save others. The Lord is not asking me to be foolish and purposefully to invite danger in, simply because I have chosen to forgive. On the contrary, scripture admonishes us to be "wise as serpents and innocent as doves." He is not asking me to trust those who committed these terrible acts. As a matter of fact, there is no place in scripture where we are told to trust anyone but God. So, I don't have to trust those who did this, I don't have to behave foolishly and enter into unsafe situations, but I am called to forgive them.
Forgiveness frees us from being tied to those we are harboring unforgiveness toward. Unforgiveness keeps a link between us and the other party. It is as if we carry that person around piggyback style until we forgive them. They weigh us down. The emotions of unforgiveness are exhausting and punish the one who is choosing to not forgive as opposed to punishing the person that needs to be forgiven. I, for one, do not want to carry around more emotional baggage and heaviness. I want to live "lightly", without the burdens of unforgiveness or resentment dragging me down. Forgiveness is the gift we give ourselves.
So, on this anniversary of 9/11...the anniversary of the day that something terrible happened, I am choosing to forgive those who committed these horrendous acts. I will never forget what happened, but I relinquish any right that I might have to punish them in return. Instead, I turn them over to the Lord. I repent of my lack of forgiveness. Yes, I fully support and am extremely grateful for our troops who selflessly fight to protect us, but I leave it up to the Lord to dole out any retribution or punishment. Vengeance belongs to God.
I pray that next year when the same images flood over my television screen, that I will notice a heart change. Sure there will be sadness over the loss and the senselessness of it all, but I pray there will also be a deep groaning in my soul because of the "lost-ness", if that is even a word, of those who were so lost in their way that they endeavored to do such evil. They are so very lost. Lord, please replace the bitterness and unforgiveness in my heart with your compassion and forgiveness. Jesus died to save them, just as He died to save me. He loves them as much as He loves me. I need to remember that.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Be Anxious For Nothing
Breathe already. With all of the juggling currently in our lives it is so easy to fall into the trap of anxiety. I find the need to remind myself to even breathe sometimes. I know it sounds crazy, but if you have ever felt anxiety it causes your breathing to start to change which can lead to a cascading emotional storm that is hard to stop once it starts.
I am reminded today that I need to take my thoughts captive as opposed to letting them run rampant as if they were a classroom full of malicious third graders. The emotions of my heart can be like "The Lord of the Flies"...chaotic and destined to failure if unrestrained. Instead, I need to remember to "think on these things"...things that are lovely, true, of good report...etc.. We are to think on the positive as opposed to entertaining those negative thoughts which are the yeast in a loaf of anxiety. After all, in Philippians 4:6 it says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. "
So, I will be purposeful to praise the Lord throughout the day, thanking Him for His faithfulness and the blessings I have and that He loves me...with or without anxiety. It is so nice to know that the Father's love for me is not dependent on my performance. He loves me because the blood of Jesus covers my every failing, so when He looks at me He sees Jesus. He sees me as lovable, precious and adorable as opposed to the smudgy-faced, disheveled waif that I sometimes feel like.
So, I will praise Him. I will choose to trust Him. I will pray about the concerns on my heart and give them over to God. I will take my thoughts captive. And I will breathe...slowly in and out...and have a grateful heart. It's the choice I am making today. I will not be anxious about anything.
I am reminded today that I need to take my thoughts captive as opposed to letting them run rampant as if they were a classroom full of malicious third graders. The emotions of my heart can be like "The Lord of the Flies"...chaotic and destined to failure if unrestrained. Instead, I need to remember to "think on these things"...things that are lovely, true, of good report...etc.. We are to think on the positive as opposed to entertaining those negative thoughts which are the yeast in a loaf of anxiety. After all, in Philippians 4:6 it says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. "
So, I will be purposeful to praise the Lord throughout the day, thanking Him for His faithfulness and the blessings I have and that He loves me...with or without anxiety. It is so nice to know that the Father's love for me is not dependent on my performance. He loves me because the blood of Jesus covers my every failing, so when He looks at me He sees Jesus. He sees me as lovable, precious and adorable as opposed to the smudgy-faced, disheveled waif that I sometimes feel like.
So, I will praise Him. I will choose to trust Him. I will pray about the concerns on my heart and give them over to God. I will take my thoughts captive. And I will breathe...slowly in and out...and have a grateful heart. It's the choice I am making today. I will not be anxious about anything.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Temper, temper!
I am at one of those difficult spots in life. We are quickly approaching a point where I am going to have to confront someone I love about a very volatile topic. In the past this person has always been hot tempered and prone to bouts of yelling (partially from hearing loss and partially from lack of self control). They use volume of their voice to intimidate, get their way and get others to back off. When that doesn't work, they use words that wound.
Well, I am going to have to confront this same person about a topic they are not going to want to talk about. I feel quite certain that it is going to lead to a big blow up with yelling and elevated blood pressure. Generally in this life I get along pretty well with just about everyone. I have a long fuse and work hard to keep my tongue under control. This is literally the only person I can think of that I argue with like this. I am ashamed to admit that I lose my cool. I don't say inappropriate things, but I raise my voice in frustration. I disappoint myself in that I let this person get to me and I respond in a way inconsistent with how I feel I should respond. I should have better self control. I have walked with the Lord for 46 years now. Shouldn't self control be a little easier than this by now?
Unfortunately, this issue is health related and I have no excuse but to broach the subject, but unless the Lord intervenes there is going to be some yelling going on...even if I don't respond in kind. I can hold my frustration to a point after which I literally start pulling my hair out.
I need the Lord's wisdom and self control. Lord, please give me your words in order to bring peace and help to this situation as opposed to stirring up anger, rage and resentment. You can see how this person I love needs help, but they are too prideful to admit it, and ask for, and receive the help that they need. Please give me your favor and provide for me the opportunity for me to share my heart with them and please give them the grace to receive my words in the spirit in which they are intended. I am reminded about the scripture in Proverbs 15:1, "A gentle answer turns away rage, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Lord, please give me YOUR gentle words to speak. Help me to remember that we struggle not against flesh and blood... Help me to guard my heart (thank you, John for that one) and take my thoughts and my tongue captive, so there can be peace in this relationship and help for this one that I love. Replace anger with compassion, Lord. I can't do this on my own. So, I ask for Your divine intervention, because with You all things are possible. This part of growing up is really unpleasant. But I need to do the right thing, even if it is unpleasant, uncomfortable and down right painful at times. Lord, I thank you for this opportunity to grow and mature, and I pray that I will worship you with my attitude, words and responses, so that this painful situation can be turned for the good, so that we can all grow together as opposed to apart and that You will be honored.
Well, I am going to have to confront this same person about a topic they are not going to want to talk about. I feel quite certain that it is going to lead to a big blow up with yelling and elevated blood pressure. Generally in this life I get along pretty well with just about everyone. I have a long fuse and work hard to keep my tongue under control. This is literally the only person I can think of that I argue with like this. I am ashamed to admit that I lose my cool. I don't say inappropriate things, but I raise my voice in frustration. I disappoint myself in that I let this person get to me and I respond in a way inconsistent with how I feel I should respond. I should have better self control. I have walked with the Lord for 46 years now. Shouldn't self control be a little easier than this by now?
Unfortunately, this issue is health related and I have no excuse but to broach the subject, but unless the Lord intervenes there is going to be some yelling going on...even if I don't respond in kind. I can hold my frustration to a point after which I literally start pulling my hair out.
I need the Lord's wisdom and self control. Lord, please give me your words in order to bring peace and help to this situation as opposed to stirring up anger, rage and resentment. You can see how this person I love needs help, but they are too prideful to admit it, and ask for, and receive the help that they need. Please give me your favor and provide for me the opportunity for me to share my heart with them and please give them the grace to receive my words in the spirit in which they are intended. I am reminded about the scripture in Proverbs 15:1, "A gentle answer turns away rage, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Lord, please give me YOUR gentle words to speak. Help me to remember that we struggle not against flesh and blood... Help me to guard my heart (thank you, John for that one) and take my thoughts and my tongue captive, so there can be peace in this relationship and help for this one that I love. Replace anger with compassion, Lord. I can't do this on my own. So, I ask for Your divine intervention, because with You all things are possible. This part of growing up is really unpleasant. But I need to do the right thing, even if it is unpleasant, uncomfortable and down right painful at times. Lord, I thank you for this opportunity to grow and mature, and I pray that I will worship you with my attitude, words and responses, so that this painful situation can be turned for the good, so that we can all grow together as opposed to apart and that You will be honored.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
The Joys of Mold
Great. Just this week we discovered mold in the wall of our dining room. Evidently at some point in the past we began having a roof leak that trickled down into the wall. It made its way down to the very corner where the two walls and the floor meet one another. Unfortunately this little corner is covered over by a small table and the mold lurking behind the table was likely there for quite some time before it was discovered.
Well, we have found it now. We called a company to come out and check the damage and could hear a distant sound of a cash register..."cha-ching! cha-ching!" It will likely be a wheelbarrow full of loot to cover the cost of repair. Thankfully our homeowners insurance should cover a portion of the damage.
As I was thinking about the whole upcoming ordeal I began to feel overwhelmed at what may be coming our way...moving all of the furniture, china and "chochkies" out of the living room, ripping out the carpet, replacing a portion of the floor that has dry rot, moving a portion of the wall and possibly tearing our the cabinets in the kitchen because they are on the opposite side of the wall, followed by replacing the wall, carpets, sheet rock and texturing and repainting. I am not even sure where we will put everything while it is all torn up.
In the middle of my melt down I called dear, old mom. She is always the sane and saintly voice of godly reason. She comforted me that she had peace about it and that it wasn't going to end up as bad as I expected. I felt a bit better when I hung up the phone and when I started thinking about all of the things that could have happened had we not found the mold now, my anxiety began to be replaced by gratefulness.
We had a drought this past year and this coming winter is supposed to be an "El Nino" year meaning prolonged heavy rains. Had we found the damage in the middle of this coming winter the mold and water damage could be much worst and much more costly. God was gracious and showed us the damage before the seasonal rains came this year.
No one has gotten sick. We still are unable to detect any smell of mold and no one has gotten ill from the spores being in the air. Mold is dangerous stuff. The old testament goes into great detail about getting rid of mold/mildew a house. I am not looking at this in a legalistic way. I believe those passages were in scripture to protect us. In biblical times they had no concept of microbiology, germs and such. God was protecting the children of Israel against something that could be very deadly. I am grateful that the Lord showed us the problem before any of us fell ill.
This morning I opened the door to one of my patients. She was beside herself upset, tied up in knots, on the verge of tears and pleading with me to pray for her. She has been a patient for over twenty years and we have a long history together. When I asked her what had happened to have her so upset, she said, "Yesterday we found out that we have a bunch of mold and standing water in our attic. The man who did the stucco on our house accidentally blocked a drainage pipe for the roof with stucco and water has been slowly backing up into our attic for the past 10 years. Water is flowing out of over flow pans and is soaking into the ceilings over all of our bedrooms. We are afraid the ceilings will collapse and they are covered with mold."
How my heart went out to the dear soul and imagine her surprise when I told her our story of finding mold in the very same week. It says in 2 Corinthians 1:4, "who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." It felt so good this morning to fulfill that scripture...comfort that dear woman this morning with the comfort I received from my mom and through scripture. She walked in the door upset and on the verge of tears and she left actually laughing. We recounted how the Lord spared all of their lives by bringing the problem to all of their attention before the ceiling caved in on her sleeping family, how they had homeowners insurance that would pay for much of the damage and how now she would be able to repaint the walls and freshen things up around the house once all of the repairs were done.
I know I have said it before, but it always amazes me how great a difference a grateful heart makes in how we view each circumstance in life. While it is never a convenient time to rip your house apart such as what our two households have ahead of us, we are so grateful that God protected both of our families from physical harm. Even though it will mean repair costs that we never expected, it will mean that our homes will be restrengthened and freshened up. The Good Book says that all things work together for the good for those who love the Lord and who are called according to His purpose. Well, I certainly love the Lord. Let's see how He works this together for our good. I have decided to thank the Lord for the mold and for this circumstance. I know. I must sound pretty crazy to thank the Lord for mold. But I suspect this trial is a vehicle to bless me in the long run if I respond properly and praise Him in the midst of the trial. I don't know how He is going to do it, but I trust He will turn it for my good. He's pretty clever that way you know!
Well, we have found it now. We called a company to come out and check the damage and could hear a distant sound of a cash register..."cha-ching! cha-ching!" It will likely be a wheelbarrow full of loot to cover the cost of repair. Thankfully our homeowners insurance should cover a portion of the damage.
As I was thinking about the whole upcoming ordeal I began to feel overwhelmed at what may be coming our way...moving all of the furniture, china and "chochkies" out of the living room, ripping out the carpet, replacing a portion of the floor that has dry rot, moving a portion of the wall and possibly tearing our the cabinets in the kitchen because they are on the opposite side of the wall, followed by replacing the wall, carpets, sheet rock and texturing and repainting. I am not even sure where we will put everything while it is all torn up.
In the middle of my melt down I called dear, old mom. She is always the sane and saintly voice of godly reason. She comforted me that she had peace about it and that it wasn't going to end up as bad as I expected. I felt a bit better when I hung up the phone and when I started thinking about all of the things that could have happened had we not found the mold now, my anxiety began to be replaced by gratefulness.
We had a drought this past year and this coming winter is supposed to be an "El Nino" year meaning prolonged heavy rains. Had we found the damage in the middle of this coming winter the mold and water damage could be much worst and much more costly. God was gracious and showed us the damage before the seasonal rains came this year.
No one has gotten sick. We still are unable to detect any smell of mold and no one has gotten ill from the spores being in the air. Mold is dangerous stuff. The old testament goes into great detail about getting rid of mold/mildew a house. I am not looking at this in a legalistic way. I believe those passages were in scripture to protect us. In biblical times they had no concept of microbiology, germs and such. God was protecting the children of Israel against something that could be very deadly. I am grateful that the Lord showed us the problem before any of us fell ill.
This morning I opened the door to one of my patients. She was beside herself upset, tied up in knots, on the verge of tears and pleading with me to pray for her. She has been a patient for over twenty years and we have a long history together. When I asked her what had happened to have her so upset, she said, "Yesterday we found out that we have a bunch of mold and standing water in our attic. The man who did the stucco on our house accidentally blocked a drainage pipe for the roof with stucco and water has been slowly backing up into our attic for the past 10 years. Water is flowing out of over flow pans and is soaking into the ceilings over all of our bedrooms. We are afraid the ceilings will collapse and they are covered with mold."
How my heart went out to the dear soul and imagine her surprise when I told her our story of finding mold in the very same week. It says in 2 Corinthians 1:4, "who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." It felt so good this morning to fulfill that scripture...comfort that dear woman this morning with the comfort I received from my mom and through scripture. She walked in the door upset and on the verge of tears and she left actually laughing. We recounted how the Lord spared all of their lives by bringing the problem to all of their attention before the ceiling caved in on her sleeping family, how they had homeowners insurance that would pay for much of the damage and how now she would be able to repaint the walls and freshen things up around the house once all of the repairs were done.
I know I have said it before, but it always amazes me how great a difference a grateful heart makes in how we view each circumstance in life. While it is never a convenient time to rip your house apart such as what our two households have ahead of us, we are so grateful that God protected both of our families from physical harm. Even though it will mean repair costs that we never expected, it will mean that our homes will be restrengthened and freshened up. The Good Book says that all things work together for the good for those who love the Lord and who are called according to His purpose. Well, I certainly love the Lord. Let's see how He works this together for our good. I have decided to thank the Lord for the mold and for this circumstance. I know. I must sound pretty crazy to thank the Lord for mold. But I suspect this trial is a vehicle to bless me in the long run if I respond properly and praise Him in the midst of the trial. I don't know how He is going to do it, but I trust He will turn it for my good. He's pretty clever that way you know!
Friday, August 28, 2009
How About A True-logy?
Why is it that when it comes to funerals that there is such a tendency to not be truthful? Yes, I understand the concept of speaking well of a person...showing respect, gratefulness and honor those who have passed away. However, when it is my time to pass I don't want a eulogy. Instead I want a trueulogy. I want the truth spoken at my memorial service. I am not asking for a large group of people to air my dirty laundry in public, instead I would just like a more realistic picture of me drawn when people talk about me.
The thing that brought this all up is the passing of Ted Kennedy. I understand fully that he dedicated a huge portion of his life in service to his country and that he has been instrumental in changing our country. What I sincerely doubt has or will be said at his funeral is anything about leaving Mary Jo to drown in his car, getting kicked out of Harvard for lying, abuse of alcohol and a few other things I can name off the top of my head.
My intent is not to bash Mr. Kennedy. No doubt he did the best he could under the circumstances he was under. My intent is to say that he will undoubtedly be painted as the loving big brother to the younger senators who joined the body of the senate, a brilliant statesman, a compassionate legislator....someone to be considered should their ever come a vacancy in the Trinity. I think you get what I am trying to say. He will be painted as if he is being considered for sainthood, as opposed to saying that he tried his best, had some faults but served his country to the best of his ability for most of his life.
When it is my time to go please don't paint me as a person who has never sinned...as one who never lost her temper or made a bad decision or as the perfect wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend or boss. I am far from perfect and everyone knows it. Just be honest. Say, you know, she had her struggles with food and an occasional Portuguese temper. She was overly anxious about money and often unable to forgive herself when she failed. She wasn't the perfect wife, mother, daughter, friend, boss or sister, but she loved. She loved her family and friends. She loved the Lord and desperately wanted to please the Lord with her life. She made many mistakes along the way, but at least she tried. She made me laugh. She taught me something about myself and God. She was a hard worker and went the second mile most of the time, but she also tended to be a work-a-holic at times too. She had a good heart. She will be missed. She was far from perfect, but she was loved.
That's the type of "eulogy" I can believe. No one is perfect and to paint anyone other than Jesus as perfect is just a lie in my estimation. I would like the truth to be spoken in my eulogy. I want it to be a "trueulogy." It is much more believable and truthful that way. Now don't make me come back and haunt you! ;o)
The thing that brought this all up is the passing of Ted Kennedy. I understand fully that he dedicated a huge portion of his life in service to his country and that he has been instrumental in changing our country. What I sincerely doubt has or will be said at his funeral is anything about leaving Mary Jo to drown in his car, getting kicked out of Harvard for lying, abuse of alcohol and a few other things I can name off the top of my head.
My intent is not to bash Mr. Kennedy. No doubt he did the best he could under the circumstances he was under. My intent is to say that he will undoubtedly be painted as the loving big brother to the younger senators who joined the body of the senate, a brilliant statesman, a compassionate legislator....someone to be considered should their ever come a vacancy in the Trinity. I think you get what I am trying to say. He will be painted as if he is being considered for sainthood, as opposed to saying that he tried his best, had some faults but served his country to the best of his ability for most of his life.
When it is my time to go please don't paint me as a person who has never sinned...as one who never lost her temper or made a bad decision or as the perfect wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend or boss. I am far from perfect and everyone knows it. Just be honest. Say, you know, she had her struggles with food and an occasional Portuguese temper. She was overly anxious about money and often unable to forgive herself when she failed. She wasn't the perfect wife, mother, daughter, friend, boss or sister, but she loved. She loved her family and friends. She loved the Lord and desperately wanted to please the Lord with her life. She made many mistakes along the way, but at least she tried. She made me laugh. She taught me something about myself and God. She was a hard worker and went the second mile most of the time, but she also tended to be a work-a-holic at times too. She had a good heart. She will be missed. She was far from perfect, but she was loved.
That's the type of "eulogy" I can believe. No one is perfect and to paint anyone other than Jesus as perfect is just a lie in my estimation. I would like the truth to be spoken in my eulogy. I want it to be a "trueulogy." It is much more believable and truthful that way. Now don't make me come back and haunt you! ;o)
Monday, August 24, 2009
I'm Hungry
So what, right? Well, it is sort of a big deal to this old girl. Being one who tends to use food as a drug, we don't always wait until there is physical feeling of hunger before eating. Instead emotional hunger gets our attention and calls out for food. Unfortunately, the satisfaction gained from this form of self medication is that the satisfaction is very short lived and is accompanied by regret.
This morning I am physically hungry. Dinner was intentionally small last night. This morning I am certainly not ravenously hungry, but I am physically hungry. I am talking about stomach growling with a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach...not my head saying, "Hey, I could go for a bagel about now." My body is calling for nourishment, not my emotions. This is a step in the right direction to be sure.
In our American culture there is a huge portion of the population that has not felt true stomach hunger in years. We have so much and we indulge ourselves so much that we are never allowed to get to the point that we are really physically hungry. The interesting thing is that when we are not physically hungry when we eat, what we do eat ends up being less flavorful and less satiating than if we had waited to eat until we are physically hungry. Also, if what we have been feeding our emotional hunger with is "junk food" or full of empty carbohydrates, we will be much less attracted to healthy, nutrient-rich food even when we are physically hungry.
So, I am celebrating the fact that I am hungry right now. The next step is a bit trickier...choosing a food that is available on a moments notice and also healthy. I am here at work and thankfully I have a stash of that devilishly good Laughing Cow cheese and a small piece of fruit. That will be an excellent choice for a mid morning 100 calorie (total) boost to get me through to lunch time without being unnecessarily tempted by the M & M jar.
This morning I am physically hungry. Dinner was intentionally small last night. This morning I am certainly not ravenously hungry, but I am physically hungry. I am talking about stomach growling with a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach...not my head saying, "Hey, I could go for a bagel about now." My body is calling for nourishment, not my emotions. This is a step in the right direction to be sure.
In our American culture there is a huge portion of the population that has not felt true stomach hunger in years. We have so much and we indulge ourselves so much that we are never allowed to get to the point that we are really physically hungry. The interesting thing is that when we are not physically hungry when we eat, what we do eat ends up being less flavorful and less satiating than if we had waited to eat until we are physically hungry. Also, if what we have been feeding our emotional hunger with is "junk food" or full of empty carbohydrates, we will be much less attracted to healthy, nutrient-rich food even when we are physically hungry.
So, I am celebrating the fact that I am hungry right now. The next step is a bit trickier...choosing a food that is available on a moments notice and also healthy. I am here at work and thankfully I have a stash of that devilishly good Laughing Cow cheese and a small piece of fruit. That will be an excellent choice for a mid morning 100 calorie (total) boost to get me through to lunch time without being unnecessarily tempted by the M & M jar.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
I Need To Make More Mistakes
I know that has got to sound like an odd title for a blog entry, but I do. I need to make more mistakes. I am certainly not saying that I am perfect or never make mistakes. Instead, what I am saying is that I tend to play it safe so as to not make mistakes...or as few as possible. I tend to be afraid to make mistakes, whether it if from fear of embarrassment or just plain old fear of failure, I don't know. What I do know is that the idea of making a mistake makes me uncomfortable.
As a result, my tendency has been to not take risk, to play it safe to examine things to the "nth" degree before making a decision, because I am afraid to fail. As a result, my life has become much smaller than I think it should be. I was reading something online this morning followed by seeing something on T.V. today. In both situations the person who was the topic of the story was a great success at their business. The thing that hit me so profoundly was that both people had made a LOT of mistakes in their pasts. They had had a lot of failure before they reached their point of success. Had they been emotionally crushed by their first failure and decided to stop trying to reach their dreams, they would still be stuck in their rut with nothing to show for it. Just ten years ago one of the men was bankrupt. Today he lives in a home worth $29,000.000.00. That's twenty-nine million dollars, folks. Had he decided to give up when he filed for bankruptcy, he would still be flat broke. But this man had a dream. He followed that dream and now is living a lifestyle most of us will never experience.
It isn't easy facing failure...facing loss and mistakes, but it is a stepping stone to a success down the road. As my dad always tells me, "If it were easy, everyone would do it." Facing it is hard, but if we can learn from our mistakes we will be one step closer to realizing a dream. Dare to imagine something better. Dare to dream a BIG dream. Face the fear and step out. Five years from now you will be five years older. In that period of time you can do nothing with your life or you can be bold, be brave, face the fear and move toward that dream. You may not reach your dream, but then again, you just might. People always talk about Thomas Edison and his invention of the light bulb. When he was asked about his failures, he said that they weren't failures. Instead he had found 293 ways not to make a light bulb.
I am not just talking about money here. Money is just something that is easy to see and identify with. Perhaps you have a desire to travel or learn a foreign language. Perhaps you want to lose 50 pounds or become a body builder. Maybe you want to start your own business, learn to sing, write a book or find that special someone to love. Well, the harsh fact is that it isn't going to ever happen if you don't do something about it. You have to take a leap of faith. You may fall, you may trip, you may even look silly, but you will be one step closer to realizing a dream. There might be those who laugh at you for a season, but it may just be that they wish they were brave enough to face their fear of failure. Five years from now your life might be completely different because you were brave enough today to take a step toward your dream.
Matthrew 25 talks about the parable of the talents. In that story it was the servant who "played it safe" and hid the masters money instead of investing it who was called "wicked." The Lord knows we will make mistakes at times. He is compassionate to forgive us when we try something and fail. But to not try to at least do something with the gifts we have been given by God because of fear of failure is something He considers "wicked." That is a pretty strong statement to make. But don't take my word for it. Check it out for yourself.
I remember reading a sign one time. It said, "If you aren't making mistakes it means you aren't trying hard enough." The only way to realize that dream is to take that first step. You can do it!
As a result, my tendency has been to not take risk, to play it safe to examine things to the "nth" degree before making a decision, because I am afraid to fail. As a result, my life has become much smaller than I think it should be. I was reading something online this morning followed by seeing something on T.V. today. In both situations the person who was the topic of the story was a great success at their business. The thing that hit me so profoundly was that both people had made a LOT of mistakes in their pasts. They had had a lot of failure before they reached their point of success. Had they been emotionally crushed by their first failure and decided to stop trying to reach their dreams, they would still be stuck in their rut with nothing to show for it. Just ten years ago one of the men was bankrupt. Today he lives in a home worth $29,000.000.00. That's twenty-nine million dollars, folks. Had he decided to give up when he filed for bankruptcy, he would still be flat broke. But this man had a dream. He followed that dream and now is living a lifestyle most of us will never experience.
It isn't easy facing failure...facing loss and mistakes, but it is a stepping stone to a success down the road. As my dad always tells me, "If it were easy, everyone would do it." Facing it is hard, but if we can learn from our mistakes we will be one step closer to realizing a dream. Dare to imagine something better. Dare to dream a BIG dream. Face the fear and step out. Five years from now you will be five years older. In that period of time you can do nothing with your life or you can be bold, be brave, face the fear and move toward that dream. You may not reach your dream, but then again, you just might. People always talk about Thomas Edison and his invention of the light bulb. When he was asked about his failures, he said that they weren't failures. Instead he had found 293 ways not to make a light bulb.
I am not just talking about money here. Money is just something that is easy to see and identify with. Perhaps you have a desire to travel or learn a foreign language. Perhaps you want to lose 50 pounds or become a body builder. Maybe you want to start your own business, learn to sing, write a book or find that special someone to love. Well, the harsh fact is that it isn't going to ever happen if you don't do something about it. You have to take a leap of faith. You may fall, you may trip, you may even look silly, but you will be one step closer to realizing a dream. There might be those who laugh at you for a season, but it may just be that they wish they were brave enough to face their fear of failure. Five years from now your life might be completely different because you were brave enough today to take a step toward your dream.
Matthrew 25 talks about the parable of the talents. In that story it was the servant who "played it safe" and hid the masters money instead of investing it who was called "wicked." The Lord knows we will make mistakes at times. He is compassionate to forgive us when we try something and fail. But to not try to at least do something with the gifts we have been given by God because of fear of failure is something He considers "wicked." That is a pretty strong statement to make. But don't take my word for it. Check it out for yourself.
I remember reading a sign one time. It said, "If you aren't making mistakes it means you aren't trying hard enough." The only way to realize that dream is to take that first step. You can do it!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Who's The Boss?
No, I am not talking about the T.V. show with Tony Danza. I am talking about the phrase that kept repeating through my head as I was emerging from sleep this morning. Seems to me that either my brain or my spirit, or a combination of the two, was asking to me make a choice as to who would be the boss of my life today...of my food choices in particular.
Well, since I resigned from the position a couple of days ago, I will say that once again, today the Lord is the boss. I guess it is a reminder to me that each and every day I have to choose whom it is that I will serve. I may have given things over to the Lord in the past, but each morning it becomes a choice all over again who will be in charge.
Joshua 24: 15 says, "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." In this case I have a choice to either serve the Lord who actually knows what He is doing and has a plan for my victory in this area of my life, or I can serve the "god" of my belly. I have a picture in mind of a Buddha statue at a Chinese restaurant. He may look happy, but he certainly doesn't look healthy. This is really a no brainer, though it will take considerable effort and self control to serve the upper case "G" God as opposed to the lower case "god". You see the god of my belly has been used to being in charge and it isn't terribly thrilled with the demotion.
Another picture comes to mind. It is a picture of my office. I am at the front desk and I am standing behind one of my staff who is having a technical issue with the computer. It is curious to me how I have become the go-to person for computer problems at the office. I have no formal training. Perhaps it is just that I have made more mistakes on the computer that I have had to fix than others in the office. Any way, back to the picture in my head. In the picture I am giving my employee verbal direction as to what to do. I do that for a very short period of time before I find myself asking her to give up her chair so I can sit down at the computer and do it myself. In that instance I am not agitated with her, instead I just feel I can do it faster myself. So, in the interest of time I nudge my way in and fix the problem.
It seems I do the same thing with the Lord. I may give Him the throne in the morning, but at some point during the day He may be going too slow for my liking or He may not be listening to my advice on how He should fix my problem, and I boot Him off of the throne so I can fix it myself. It is truly rather pathetic. Why in the world would I think that I know better than God about how to fix this problem? Yet I do it over an over again...day in and day out. How insulting it is to God and how arrogant it is of me. Forgive me, Lord!
Even on this issue I need your help, Lord. John 15:5 (Amplified Bible) says, "I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing." Apart from you I can do nothing, Lord. Please show me before I am about to nudge you out of the throne. I do not belong there. Please strengthen me to "be still and know that 'you' are God"...not me. That throne of yours is way too big for this little three-year-old.
Well, since I resigned from the position a couple of days ago, I will say that once again, today the Lord is the boss. I guess it is a reminder to me that each and every day I have to choose whom it is that I will serve. I may have given things over to the Lord in the past, but each morning it becomes a choice all over again who will be in charge.
Joshua 24: 15 says, "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." In this case I have a choice to either serve the Lord who actually knows what He is doing and has a plan for my victory in this area of my life, or I can serve the "god" of my belly. I have a picture in mind of a Buddha statue at a Chinese restaurant. He may look happy, but he certainly doesn't look healthy. This is really a no brainer, though it will take considerable effort and self control to serve the upper case "G" God as opposed to the lower case "god". You see the god of my belly has been used to being in charge and it isn't terribly thrilled with the demotion.
Another picture comes to mind. It is a picture of my office. I am at the front desk and I am standing behind one of my staff who is having a technical issue with the computer. It is curious to me how I have become the go-to person for computer problems at the office. I have no formal training. Perhaps it is just that I have made more mistakes on the computer that I have had to fix than others in the office. Any way, back to the picture in my head. In the picture I am giving my employee verbal direction as to what to do. I do that for a very short period of time before I find myself asking her to give up her chair so I can sit down at the computer and do it myself. In that instance I am not agitated with her, instead I just feel I can do it faster myself. So, in the interest of time I nudge my way in and fix the problem.
It seems I do the same thing with the Lord. I may give Him the throne in the morning, but at some point during the day He may be going too slow for my liking or He may not be listening to my advice on how He should fix my problem, and I boot Him off of the throne so I can fix it myself. It is truly rather pathetic. Why in the world would I think that I know better than God about how to fix this problem? Yet I do it over an over again...day in and day out. How insulting it is to God and how arrogant it is of me. Forgive me, Lord!
Even on this issue I need your help, Lord. John 15:5 (Amplified Bible) says, "I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing." Apart from you I can do nothing, Lord. Please show me before I am about to nudge you out of the throne. I do not belong there. Please strengthen me to "be still and know that 'you' are God"...not me. That throne of yours is way too big for this little three-year-old.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Blueberry Buttermilk Bran Muffins
I was good to my word, dear reader. Here is the recipe for the muffins I made to put in the freezer. I made a triple batch (my husband ate two muffins before they were even cool...with butter, which kind of defeats the purpose of a healthy muffin). Oh well!These little beauties are not only moist and scrumptious, but they are very healthy for you too. No need to feel guilty when diving into one of these muffins. They are mildly sweet, low in fat and cholesterol, high in fiber and packed full of vitamins, minerals and even some antioxidants for good measure. These freeze nicely when sealed in a Ziploc bag after they have completely cooled. Grab one on the way out the door on the way to work or school. You can feel good about starting your day this way, as opposed to a bowl of sugary cereal or a high cholesterol bacon and eggs breakfast. For a variation you can replace the applesauce with an equal volume of canned pumpkin (then make sure you add 1/2 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice) and then replace the blueberries with golden raisins or chopped dates. If you prefer your muffins a bit sweeter, you can add an additional 1/4 cup of brown sugar to the mix, but we think these are tasty as they are.
1 1/2 cups all bran cereal
1 cup low fat buttermilk
1 cup low fat buttermilk
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup applesauce
1 egg
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1 egg
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup dried blueberries (or 1 cup fresh)
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup dried blueberries (or 1 cup fresh)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin cups with paper muffin liners. Mix together wheat bran and buttermilk; let stand for 10 minutes. Beat together wheat germ, applesauce, egg, brown sugar, molasses and vanilla and add to buttermilk/bran mixture. Mix in the carrots. Sift together flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into buttermilk mixture, until just blended. Fold in dried blueberries and spoon batter into prepared muffin tins. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, (shorter period of time if you are using a convection oven) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool and enjoy!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
How Many Licks Does It Take To Get To The Center Of A Tootsie Roll Pop?
One of my patients informed me that answer is "27." Something tells me either his teeth were involved of the texture of his tongue is similar to that of a cat.
I Stole This From Patsy
Here is a copy of an email I received from "Women of Faith." The article was written by Patsy Clairmont and it is under copyright, so please don't sue me. It was just so good I wanted to share. Since they give permission to forward the email to others I thought good old, Patsy wouldn't haul my keester into court for posting it here...especially since this is not a money making venture, but rather a spirit growing one. I hope you enjoy as much as I did.
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Outside my window is a bush of Rose of Sharon whose blooms are usually quite sanguine, but not today. A summer shower came through and now the blooms hang like teardrops. I know that later the blossoms will smile again, but for now they weep purple puddles.
And isn’t that how it is with us?
Things are looking good when an unexpected shower rains on our parade. And sometimes it’s hard to rebound and lift our heads back toward the sun, so we sink into our sad.
For years I dragged my sorry self around like a bag of old potatoes, weighed down by an inexplicable sadness. Then I slowly began to realize I was a big influence on myself and I could make some changes that would help lift my own spirit. Some of these things sound too simple to matter, but give it a try and see if it doesn’t promote goodwill in your own heart and home.
Sing: No, it doesn’t matter if you sound like fingernails on chalkboards, just sing. And choose happy songs that once made your toe tap and your heart skip. Put on a WoF praise CD and worship the Lord.
Warning: At first you won’t feel like doing this if you are in the doldrums, but with all the love in the world, may I suggest you do it anyway. (Don’t make me come over there.)
Laugh: Call up a funny friend and stir up some health-producing endorphins. Deliberately lighten up. Yes, pretend if you have to, because many a time I started out phony-ly happy and ended up genuinely joyful.
Serve: Do something for someone else. It gets our mind off us. Bake a cake, send a card, plan a party for someone you love or don’t, pick a bouquet for a neighbor, take a group to a Women of Faith event, etc.
Study: Pick a Bible passage to study, then memorize one of the verses that cheers you. God’s Word changes our mind and strengthens our fragile character.
Create: There’s something about working with one's mind and heart in a creative manner that releases bad vibes and restores the soul. You don’t have to be an artist to create, I promise. I did watercolors for a couple of years before I painted something identifiable. It startled me when I recognized my effort. I showed a friend and we immediately framed and hung it before it disappeared.
Maybe you’d rather cook, bake, garden, dance, sew, scrapbook...okay, do it.
Avoid: Pity parties. Newscasts. Negative people. Racy books. Overeating. Sad movies. Excuses.
So dab away those tears and roll up the sleeves of your determination. While it's not easy to move out of sad I hope these few reminders help to improve the quality of your inner atmosphere. Oh, wait―there’s more: pray, exercise, clean house, journal, volunteer, rest... (Somebody stop me!)
It’s a grand new day!
-------
Outside my window is a bush of Rose of Sharon whose blooms are usually quite sanguine, but not today. A summer shower came through and now the blooms hang like teardrops. I know that later the blossoms will smile again, but for now they weep purple puddles.
And isn’t that how it is with us?
Things are looking good when an unexpected shower rains on our parade. And sometimes it’s hard to rebound and lift our heads back toward the sun, so we sink into our sad.
For years I dragged my sorry self around like a bag of old potatoes, weighed down by an inexplicable sadness. Then I slowly began to realize I was a big influence on myself and I could make some changes that would help lift my own spirit. Some of these things sound too simple to matter, but give it a try and see if it doesn’t promote goodwill in your own heart and home.
Sing: No, it doesn’t matter if you sound like fingernails on chalkboards, just sing. And choose happy songs that once made your toe tap and your heart skip. Put on a WoF praise CD and worship the Lord.
Warning: At first you won’t feel like doing this if you are in the doldrums, but with all the love in the world, may I suggest you do it anyway. (Don’t make me come over there.)
Laugh: Call up a funny friend and stir up some health-producing endorphins. Deliberately lighten up. Yes, pretend if you have to, because many a time I started out phony-ly happy and ended up genuinely joyful.
Serve: Do something for someone else. It gets our mind off us. Bake a cake, send a card, plan a party for someone you love or don’t, pick a bouquet for a neighbor, take a group to a Women of Faith event, etc.
Study: Pick a Bible passage to study, then memorize one of the verses that cheers you. God’s Word changes our mind and strengthens our fragile character.
Create: There’s something about working with one's mind and heart in a creative manner that releases bad vibes and restores the soul. You don’t have to be an artist to create, I promise. I did watercolors for a couple of years before I painted something identifiable. It startled me when I recognized my effort. I showed a friend and we immediately framed and hung it before it disappeared.
Maybe you’d rather cook, bake, garden, dance, sew, scrapbook...okay, do it.
Avoid: Pity parties. Newscasts. Negative people. Racy books. Overeating. Sad movies. Excuses.
So dab away those tears and roll up the sleeves of your determination. While it's not easy to move out of sad I hope these few reminders help to improve the quality of your inner atmosphere. Oh, wait―there’s more: pray, exercise, clean house, journal, volunteer, rest... (Somebody stop me!)
It’s a grand new day!
Early In The Morning...With The Boss
I don't know about you, but I tend to sky rocket out of bed in the morning. This habit comes from hitting that snooze alarm a time or two more than I should, and staying in bed until the very last minute possible...wringing every last second of slumber from the previous night, before I have to face the next morning...bleary-eyed. So it was this morning. I had gotten to bed uncharacteristically late, and the morning came much too early. By the time I pried myself from the sumptuousness of the sheets I was already running late. I took an abbreviated shower and shot out the door. Don't worry...no speeding...the traffic would not allow me to speed any way.
So, I sat there, nibbling a questionably nutritious granola bar and listening to talk radio. Moving at a snails pace in stop and go traffic you can survey your fellow drivers. This morning my vehicular companions were engrossed in a myriad of activities. I saw people eating their breakfast, women farding (applying make-up...heeheehee...didn't make that one up!), folks making early morning phone calls....without using their bluetooth I might add... how irritating. One guy was even bold enough to read the newspaper while driving. The pages of the paper were draped gracefully over his steering wheel. It wasn't quite the way I had hoped to start my day. My lack of discipline both the night before in getting to bed too late, as well as this morning, made for a rushed and anxious morning.
I am reminded of the scripture that says, "Psalm 5:3 - My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. " I don't think that a quick, "Good Morning, Lord" is quite what the author had in mind here. I did a word study this morning after I got to work and I was flabbergasted how many times the phrase "early in the morning" appears in scripture. Rest assured that I am not looking at it in a legalistic way, but rather a common sense way. If I take the time to feed both my body with healthy food and my spirit with spiritual food, I will have what I need to sustain me for the morning until my next "meal." In my patients who make a habit of eating fast food I often see an increase in stress, illness as well as physical pain, adrenal burn-out and lethargy. Why wouldn't eating a fast-food spiritual breakfast have a similar end product with reduced self control, shortening of my temper, feelings of being overwhelmed, crabby and stressed?
So, I think it is time for a tune up in my mornings. I need to make more of a point to get up a little bit earlier to spend time with the boss (no, not talking about Springsteen here) and get my marching orders for the day as well as to eat something that will nourish my body, just not give me some energy for a half of an hour. I know myself, however. I need to be realistic. I know there will be times when I am running late due to circumstances beyond my control. So, I will take the bull by the horns. I have decided to make a couple of batches of healthy, high fiber/low fat muffins to keep in the freezer, and I will put some scripture CD's in the car. That way, if I am running late and have not had time to properly "feed" myself, I can grab a frozen muffin. It will defrost on the way to work and at least I can get some of the Word in me as I am weaving my way through traffic. In my experience talk radio tends to be riddled with anger, sarcasm and acidic words. It usually leaves me feeling more agitated than informed or educated any way.
It is time for the adult in me to take charge over the three-year-old inside (you know, the little girl who wants to just eat sugary sweets and sit on her chubby bottom and watch cartoons instead of eating green beans and going out to ride her bike or skate?...yeah...her). I need to parent myself as I would parent my own children. What example am I setting otherwise? Perhaps that little girl inside will become a 4-year-old in the near future. I look forward to the day. Chubby forearm creases and dimpled thighs are adorable in babies, but not so cute in this 49-year-old woman.
The soap box is free if someone else would like to step up...
So, I sat there, nibbling a questionably nutritious granola bar and listening to talk radio. Moving at a snails pace in stop and go traffic you can survey your fellow drivers. This morning my vehicular companions were engrossed in a myriad of activities. I saw people eating their breakfast, women farding (applying make-up...heeheehee...didn't make that one up!), folks making early morning phone calls....without using their bluetooth I might add... how irritating. One guy was even bold enough to read the newspaper while driving. The pages of the paper were draped gracefully over his steering wheel. It wasn't quite the way I had hoped to start my day. My lack of discipline both the night before in getting to bed too late, as well as this morning, made for a rushed and anxious morning.
I am reminded of the scripture that says, "Psalm 5:3 - My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. " I don't think that a quick, "Good Morning, Lord" is quite what the author had in mind here. I did a word study this morning after I got to work and I was flabbergasted how many times the phrase "early in the morning" appears in scripture. Rest assured that I am not looking at it in a legalistic way, but rather a common sense way. If I take the time to feed both my body with healthy food and my spirit with spiritual food, I will have what I need to sustain me for the morning until my next "meal." In my patients who make a habit of eating fast food I often see an increase in stress, illness as well as physical pain, adrenal burn-out and lethargy. Why wouldn't eating a fast-food spiritual breakfast have a similar end product with reduced self control, shortening of my temper, feelings of being overwhelmed, crabby and stressed?
So, I think it is time for a tune up in my mornings. I need to make more of a point to get up a little bit earlier to spend time with the boss (no, not talking about Springsteen here) and get my marching orders for the day as well as to eat something that will nourish my body, just not give me some energy for a half of an hour. I know myself, however. I need to be realistic. I know there will be times when I am running late due to circumstances beyond my control. So, I will take the bull by the horns. I have decided to make a couple of batches of healthy, high fiber/low fat muffins to keep in the freezer, and I will put some scripture CD's in the car. That way, if I am running late and have not had time to properly "feed" myself, I can grab a frozen muffin. It will defrost on the way to work and at least I can get some of the Word in me as I am weaving my way through traffic. In my experience talk radio tends to be riddled with anger, sarcasm and acidic words. It usually leaves me feeling more agitated than informed or educated any way.
It is time for the adult in me to take charge over the three-year-old inside (you know, the little girl who wants to just eat sugary sweets and sit on her chubby bottom and watch cartoons instead of eating green beans and going out to ride her bike or skate?...yeah...her). I need to parent myself as I would parent my own children. What example am I setting otherwise? Perhaps that little girl inside will become a 4-year-old in the near future. I look forward to the day. Chubby forearm creases and dimpled thighs are adorable in babies, but not so cute in this 49-year-old woman.
The soap box is free if someone else would like to step up...
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
I Love A Good Butt Rub
This post is not nearly as racy as the title might suggest. The butt rub I am talking about is a seasoning that get massaged into beef or pork (such as baby back ribs or a pork butt) or chicken before cooking...you know, a dry rub. Well, there is a small local business that would like to carry our garlic rub and they are trying our sweet BBQ rub as well. We recommended they try it on ribs. So we will see if they like it as too.
In the past we have used it in our own cooking. My hubby is utterly brilliant with a grill. In the past couple of years we have also given it as gifts at the holidays. My favorite is the sweet BBQ rub. It is amazing on ribs.
We spent the day running around picking up and pricing ingredients a bit. It is unfortunate that we have to drive an hour each way to get the special garlic that we use. A few of the other ingredients require a 40 minute drive each way in the opposite direction, and some ingredients have to be mail ordered. Thankfully the end product is worth the effort. We are still trying to decide on the packaging...what would be cost effective, but still attractive and functional.
I have no idea if we will sell much of this rub and what it will take to make this "business" legal. My hubby will hopefully call a buddy of his that started a very successful yogurt company many years ago. He was the first manufacturer to make chocolate yogurt. After many years he retired and sold that business to Dannon. Hopefully he can give us good advice on how to go forward. We will keep our fingers crossed. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
In the past we have used it in our own cooking. My hubby is utterly brilliant with a grill. In the past couple of years we have also given it as gifts at the holidays. My favorite is the sweet BBQ rub. It is amazing on ribs.
We spent the day running around picking up and pricing ingredients a bit. It is unfortunate that we have to drive an hour each way to get the special garlic that we use. A few of the other ingredients require a 40 minute drive each way in the opposite direction, and some ingredients have to be mail ordered. Thankfully the end product is worth the effort. We are still trying to decide on the packaging...what would be cost effective, but still attractive and functional.
I have no idea if we will sell much of this rub and what it will take to make this "business" legal. My hubby will hopefully call a buddy of his that started a very successful yogurt company many years ago. He was the first manufacturer to make chocolate yogurt. After many years he retired and sold that business to Dannon. Hopefully he can give us good advice on how to go forward. We will keep our fingers crossed. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
Monday, August 17, 2009
The Miracle of Toothpaste
Okay, that may be a stretch to say, but today toothpaste came close to saving my diet if not my life in the long run. What does one do to remove the lingering flavors of a savory lunch from one's palate? It has been my habit to just grab something little...something sweet...the "ta-da!" at the end of a magic trick, the final taste bud reward after a mid day meal. To me a piece of milk chocolate is like an indulgent, hour-long hot stone massage for the tongue. Don't talk to me while I'm in the moment. Your words would be not so much ignored as drowned out by the whirling decadence that is chocolate. It's like the voice of "Auntie Em" calling out to Dorothy as she is flying through the whipping winds of that tornado. Nothing personal, but Dorothy had something more pressing on her mind at the time.
So, I say all of this to say that it dawned on me (thanks, Lord for the prompting!!) to brush my teeth as opposed to grabbing that piece of chocolate today. My mouth is now minty fresh. I can feel the Arctic winds in my mouth each time I breathe in. How delightful. And, I have to admit, chocolate doesn't sound nearly so appealing now. It would kind of be like drinking orange juice after brushing your teeth. Nasty. My toothbrush is now my new best friend. I am tempted to attach a clip to it and wear it as a brooch so that we are never apart.
So, I say all of this to say that it dawned on me (thanks, Lord for the prompting!!) to brush my teeth as opposed to grabbing that piece of chocolate today. My mouth is now minty fresh. I can feel the Arctic winds in my mouth each time I breathe in. How delightful. And, I have to admit, chocolate doesn't sound nearly so appealing now. It would kind of be like drinking orange juice after brushing your teeth. Nasty. My toothbrush is now my new best friend. I am tempted to attach a clip to it and wear it as a brooch so that we are never apart.
I Know Why The Cow Is Laughing
The cow on the adorable, round, cardboard "Laughing Cow" box is laughing, because she is a deranged pathological liar. She is laughing and lying through her grass-stained teeth. How in the world can this little triangular, tidbit of creamy, cheesy goodness be only 35 calories? It can't be, right?! Either that or it is a seriously bad typo. How dare they attempt to fool us? I bet it is a terrorist plot to foil our dieting attempts, hoping they can ignite a fire from the friction produced by our chubby thighs rubbing against one another as we run back to the fridge to snag another. It's a plot I tell you!
So, in order to not fall into their e-vil grasp I will walk slowly to the fridge. I wouldn't want to unnecessarily run the risk of igniting a new pair of comfy jeans by racing to the fridge. Besides it wouldn't be dignified. I will saunter slowly, hoping to instead burn a few calories along the way. Rotten cow. I can hear her calling me from here...her muffled moo emanating from the fridge.
So, in order to not fall into their e-vil grasp I will walk slowly to the fridge. I wouldn't want to unnecessarily run the risk of igniting a new pair of comfy jeans by racing to the fridge. Besides it wouldn't be dignified. I will saunter slowly, hoping to instead burn a few calories along the way. Rotten cow. I can hear her calling me from here...her muffled moo emanating from the fridge.
It's Only A Number...Right?
I can't bring myself to type the actual number. But I have got to tell you...it ain't pretty. Finally coaxed myself onto the scale this morning and nearly had to stuff a towel in my mouth to keep myself from screaming. This old girl is out of control.
So, a small bowl of mini wheats with skim milk later, I am prepared to face the world. Unfortunately, I am a really good baker and today we are celebrating the birthday of one of my staff with one of my chocolate fudge cakes. I can't picture myself passing up a piece in favor of a stalk of limp celery, but I will give it a shot at bringing home my piece of cake for my son. He loves my baking....then again, last night I baked a chocolate swirl cheesecake that is lounging deliciously in the refrigerator. Maybe just once I will tell him he can have both the cake and a piece of cheesecake, just so there is no cake temptation to torment me.
I am not sure what my schedule looks like this afternoon at work, but I may need to bring a sealable plastic container for that piece of cake, so that the wafting aroma of chocolate bliss does not sabotage my plan for the day.
I gave my weight, food and exercise to God all over again this moring....not so much because I had blown it in the middle of the night binging on that cheesecake, but more as a reminder to myself that I am not in charge of those areas today. I have been demoted. It's not all bad, however. Being the boss at work can just be a pain in the keester sometimes. It isn't always pleasant to have the "buck" land on your desk. So, now the "buck" is on the "BIG BOSS'" desk on this one. I just have to willing to take direction and try to not whine as I obey.
I'll keep you posted...and do my best to be honest. I may just have to run my finger along the fudgy edge of that knife for a quick lick of icing before running out of the room at cake time. I will see today what difference it makes to not be the one running the ship in this department.
So, a small bowl of mini wheats with skim milk later, I am prepared to face the world. Unfortunately, I am a really good baker and today we are celebrating the birthday of one of my staff with one of my chocolate fudge cakes. I can't picture myself passing up a piece in favor of a stalk of limp celery, but I will give it a shot at bringing home my piece of cake for my son. He loves my baking....then again, last night I baked a chocolate swirl cheesecake that is lounging deliciously in the refrigerator. Maybe just once I will tell him he can have both the cake and a piece of cheesecake, just so there is no cake temptation to torment me.
I am not sure what my schedule looks like this afternoon at work, but I may need to bring a sealable plastic container for that piece of cake, so that the wafting aroma of chocolate bliss does not sabotage my plan for the day.
I gave my weight, food and exercise to God all over again this moring....not so much because I had blown it in the middle of the night binging on that cheesecake, but more as a reminder to myself that I am not in charge of those areas today. I have been demoted. It's not all bad, however. Being the boss at work can just be a pain in the keester sometimes. It isn't always pleasant to have the "buck" land on your desk. So, now the "buck" is on the "BIG BOSS'" desk on this one. I just have to willing to take direction and try to not whine as I obey.
I'll keep you posted...and do my best to be honest. I may just have to run my finger along the fudgy edge of that knife for a quick lick of icing before running out of the room at cake time. I will see today what difference it makes to not be the one running the ship in this department.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Unsurrendered Territory
In May of this year I decided that I needed to have time away from work and the responsibilities of family life, and instead have a date with God. My sister-in-law, in the past, has raved about how wonderful "Women of Faith" conferences are. So, I decided to take a look at their website and see when a conference might be coming up that I could attend. I was in a dry spell and I felt quite desperate for a fresh wave of life. So, I was disappointed to see that a conference would be in my area, but exactly during the dates that we had a cruise to Alaska planned for the family.
Contrary to my normal comfort zone of staying close to home, if I were going to go to this conference within a decent period of time, I was going to have to pack it up and head north to Spokane. My husband, sweetheart that he is, was willing to go to Spokane with me while the kids stayed at their mom's house (I am their blessed step-mom) and Bob, the dog, went to "Club Fed" at my parent's house.
While my husband was happily frolicking through the aisles of Cabella's, like a euphoric, unbridled kid in a candy store, I was busily preparing my heart to receive from God. Actually, it turned out well, as I didn't know a soul there. In my line of work it is not uncommon for me to see people I know just about anywhere and at any time. So, this was the perfect opportunity to not care what anyone else thought about me, what I was doing, or wonder why I was barreling my way though a huge box of Kleenex at the first note of worship.
It has been a "challenging"...there's that word again...year for this old girl. My husband has had three major surgeries after a heart attack, followed my his medical retirement and my entire world being rearranged. I say that to lead up to this... At this conference I opened my heart up to hear from God, unworried about smeared mascara, my vulnerable, fragile pride or frankly making a fool of myself. I was desperate for an encounter with my creator, my often quiet friend and the lover of my soul. I needed a touch and renewed inspiration...literally the breath of God...from HIM. Only HE would do.
I had no idea what form this breath would come in, but I knew I needed it and I hoped this would be a changing point of my life. Each message of the weekend built upon the previous message, gently leading me down a path of healing and hope. During the course of the weekend they showed a video about a ministry call "New Life" and it looked like something that would help me. The gentleman who started "Women of Faith" and "New Life Ministries"is actually a radio talk show host, minister and christian counselor by the name of Steven Arterburn. During the breaks at the conference we were afforded the opportunity to check out books, music and ministries represented during the weekend's messages. I went to the New Life booth and signed up for a conference coming up this October in Southern Cal. They gave me a book to read in preparation for the conference.
I received the book in May, but have made excuses to wait on starting the book. I know that reading the book "Healing Is A Choice" will require me to take a long, hard look at myself and admit my failings, grieve and then finally be able to release them and move on. Unfortunately, I need all of those steps in order to be able to successfully release myself from the painful events and choices of my life that hold me in these painful shackles. It will be more pain for a season as I debride the infected wounds of my soul. But once the wounds have been cleaned out and healing salve applied, I will be on my way to healing and freedom.
Finally cracked the book open a few days ago and within about a half of an hour had a revelation as to one of the shackles that is holding me back from the freedom and releasing me from bondage. I am not yet free, but at least I am beginning to recognize one of the things that has a hold on me.
Finally, the thing which brings me to this blog this evening. As stupid as it sounds to say by someone of my weight, I finally realize that food and exercise are two areas of my life that to this date remain unsurrendered to God. Good grief! It is such an elementary thought. I have asked God countless times to help me relative to my choices in food and to have the wherewithall to exercise, but I continually fall short....again and again and again. It seems, sometimes, that I will never have victory in this area.
Well, today...at 7:39 pm, west coast time, I am surrendering my weight, food and exercise to God. There is a feeling of dread inside of me as I type this, as I suspect He might give me a few assignments on this topic now that HE is in charge. But I am just a tiny bit hopeful that for once it might work now that I am no longer in the driver's seat and perhaps He won't be quite the severe task master I fear that He might be.
I don't know that He will ask me to give up the things I love to eat. Perhaps He will work in me moderation. It would certainly be easier for Him to deliver me from an addiction to food, but then what would I actually learn from that? Probably not as much as if I have to walk down this path and experience this road for myself...pain, vulnerability and all.
As I consider the possibility of the joy and freedom of being released from this prison of addiction, it seems almost too good to be true. This is a truly disgusting analogy, but it would be as freeing as having a 100 pound mass of parasitic, rotting tissue removed. That tumor offers me no benefit in exchange for my carting it around. It merely serves as a drain on my energy, my joy, my peace and my hope. It makes me feel tired, overwhelmed and less than attractive. It is like when my patients ask me if they should have knee replacement surgery. I always tell them that when it is time that they will know. Well, it's time for surgery!
Well, there you have it. I am a newly surrendered to God food addict and maniacal exercise avoider...is that even an word? Well, if it isn't, it should be. I am on this adventure. I think I am heading up the first little bump on this roller coaster and hoping that I don't lose the contents of my stomach along the way. But, dear reader, I am on my way. My accountability to you and to God, I trust, will get me through this. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" (Phil 4:13).
Contrary to my normal comfort zone of staying close to home, if I were going to go to this conference within a decent period of time, I was going to have to pack it up and head north to Spokane. My husband, sweetheart that he is, was willing to go to Spokane with me while the kids stayed at their mom's house (I am their blessed step-mom) and Bob, the dog, went to "Club Fed" at my parent's house.
While my husband was happily frolicking through the aisles of Cabella's, like a euphoric, unbridled kid in a candy store, I was busily preparing my heart to receive from God. Actually, it turned out well, as I didn't know a soul there. In my line of work it is not uncommon for me to see people I know just about anywhere and at any time. So, this was the perfect opportunity to not care what anyone else thought about me, what I was doing, or wonder why I was barreling my way though a huge box of Kleenex at the first note of worship.
It has been a "challenging"...there's that word again...year for this old girl. My husband has had three major surgeries after a heart attack, followed my his medical retirement and my entire world being rearranged. I say that to lead up to this... At this conference I opened my heart up to hear from God, unworried about smeared mascara, my vulnerable, fragile pride or frankly making a fool of myself. I was desperate for an encounter with my creator, my often quiet friend and the lover of my soul. I needed a touch and renewed inspiration...literally the breath of God...from HIM. Only HE would do.
I had no idea what form this breath would come in, but I knew I needed it and I hoped this would be a changing point of my life. Each message of the weekend built upon the previous message, gently leading me down a path of healing and hope. During the course of the weekend they showed a video about a ministry call "New Life" and it looked like something that would help me. The gentleman who started "Women of Faith" and "New Life Ministries"is actually a radio talk show host, minister and christian counselor by the name of Steven Arterburn. During the breaks at the conference we were afforded the opportunity to check out books, music and ministries represented during the weekend's messages. I went to the New Life booth and signed up for a conference coming up this October in Southern Cal. They gave me a book to read in preparation for the conference.
I received the book in May, but have made excuses to wait on starting the book. I know that reading the book "Healing Is A Choice" will require me to take a long, hard look at myself and admit my failings, grieve and then finally be able to release them and move on. Unfortunately, I need all of those steps in order to be able to successfully release myself from the painful events and choices of my life that hold me in these painful shackles. It will be more pain for a season as I debride the infected wounds of my soul. But once the wounds have been cleaned out and healing salve applied, I will be on my way to healing and freedom.
Finally cracked the book open a few days ago and within about a half of an hour had a revelation as to one of the shackles that is holding me back from the freedom and releasing me from bondage. I am not yet free, but at least I am beginning to recognize one of the things that has a hold on me.
Finally, the thing which brings me to this blog this evening. As stupid as it sounds to say by someone of my weight, I finally realize that food and exercise are two areas of my life that to this date remain unsurrendered to God. Good grief! It is such an elementary thought. I have asked God countless times to help me relative to my choices in food and to have the wherewithall to exercise, but I continually fall short....again and again and again. It seems, sometimes, that I will never have victory in this area.
Well, today...at 7:39 pm, west coast time, I am surrendering my weight, food and exercise to God. There is a feeling of dread inside of me as I type this, as I suspect He might give me a few assignments on this topic now that HE is in charge. But I am just a tiny bit hopeful that for once it might work now that I am no longer in the driver's seat and perhaps He won't be quite the severe task master I fear that He might be.
I don't know that He will ask me to give up the things I love to eat. Perhaps He will work in me moderation. It would certainly be easier for Him to deliver me from an addiction to food, but then what would I actually learn from that? Probably not as much as if I have to walk down this path and experience this road for myself...pain, vulnerability and all.
As I consider the possibility of the joy and freedom of being released from this prison of addiction, it seems almost too good to be true. This is a truly disgusting analogy, but it would be as freeing as having a 100 pound mass of parasitic, rotting tissue removed. That tumor offers me no benefit in exchange for my carting it around. It merely serves as a drain on my energy, my joy, my peace and my hope. It makes me feel tired, overwhelmed and less than attractive. It is like when my patients ask me if they should have knee replacement surgery. I always tell them that when it is time that they will know. Well, it's time for surgery!
Well, there you have it. I am a newly surrendered to God food addict and maniacal exercise avoider...is that even an word? Well, if it isn't, it should be. I am on this adventure. I think I am heading up the first little bump on this roller coaster and hoping that I don't lose the contents of my stomach along the way. But, dear reader, I am on my way. My accountability to you and to God, I trust, will get me through this. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" (Phil 4:13).
And We're Off...!
So, I am finally out of the starting gate on this new adventure of mine. I have gone around and around the mountain on this one, and I fully intend to win the war this time around. You see, it is common for a woman of my certain age, to be contemplating life...its changes, its pitfalls, the joy, the pain, the boredom and the insane that accompany the silver strands that adorn my aging head. Don't get me wrong. I am not as ancient as my aching, morning bones would lead you to believe. At least I am not ancient compared to the likes of George Burns, Bob Hope or Methuselah, though perhaps a few might beg to differ.
There are at least a few things that this woman has gleaned from both the right and wrong choices made thus far, from wise people who have gone before me and from the truth seen in nature and in life in general. My intent is to document what precious nuggets I dig up on this adventure, so that I might learn from them and grow from both the joy and pain and perhaps leave something of value to those who will come after me.
Life is an adventure. It is supposed to be exciting. Wouldn't your favorite movie be boring if nothing dramatic ever happened in it? It would be about as exciting as watching paint dry. So, as of today I am choosing to look at the "challenges" (that is what I will call them...sounds better than "problems" doesn't it?), as opportunities to experience the best, most thrilling roller coaster ride ever created. I am going to throw my hands into the air, hoot and holler and have a grand time, instead of digging my nails into the hand rail, praying to God that it is over with quickly. The adventure is short and then we go home. So, now is the time to enjoy, to love, to live and learn. I am ready for the adventure and will embrace each challenge as it comes. I may do a bit of whining along the way though. Are you in?
There are at least a few things that this woman has gleaned from both the right and wrong choices made thus far, from wise people who have gone before me and from the truth seen in nature and in life in general. My intent is to document what precious nuggets I dig up on this adventure, so that I might learn from them and grow from both the joy and pain and perhaps leave something of value to those who will come after me.
Life is an adventure. It is supposed to be exciting. Wouldn't your favorite movie be boring if nothing dramatic ever happened in it? It would be about as exciting as watching paint dry. So, as of today I am choosing to look at the "challenges" (that is what I will call them...sounds better than "problems" doesn't it?), as opportunities to experience the best, most thrilling roller coaster ride ever created. I am going to throw my hands into the air, hoot and holler and have a grand time, instead of digging my nails into the hand rail, praying to God that it is over with quickly. The adventure is short and then we go home. So, now is the time to enjoy, to love, to live and learn. I am ready for the adventure and will embrace each challenge as it comes. I may do a bit of whining along the way though. Are you in?
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