by April | Feb 20, 2011 | Encouragement, Food Allergies, Gluten, Writing
I started off writing this blog about seven weeks ago. I’d had a cold, was getting over it, and felt discouraged because it didn’t seem like I could keep up with life. There are so many people out there promoting their writing better than I do, turning out more stuff, and some how keeping their lives in ship shape order. I shared my insights with a friend who reminded me that my family lived at a different level than maybe other people’s families do. I didn’t understand what she meant.
She reminded me that in the past few years, we’ve gone through a lot with all our different health ailments. She took me down a long list of things we’ve survived and it took me aback. It seems, over the course of time, we’d adjusted to these things, moved the bar, so to speak. I hadn’t thought of that. She suggested I might be putting too much pressure on myself (who me??) and I should rather appreciate how God has helped us adjust to this new normal in our life, and cut myself some slack in the expectations department.
I’d thought about that phrase before. A new normal. Our normal has changed. We’ve gone from a carefree, grab a meal out here and there, spur of the moment family, to one that has to consider ever aspect of food, preparation, time and energy. We have to take a lot into consideration when planning an outing, or making a commitment. I think, even though it’s been a very hard adjustment period, we are better for it. I think. On days when I’m exhausted and just want to get takeout, I don’t feel that way so much–but we all have our moments.
So, where was I? Oh yeah…planning this blog. SO, while I’m thinking about our new normal, and health issues, I get pneumonia. Again. Weeks have gone by, and now that I’m getting my energy back, I realize I never posted my blog I’d begun so many weeks ago. Maybe I needed a refresher course? Okay, so here’s what I learned this time:
My family has learned to pick up the slack when mom is down and out. They know how to really dig in and take care of things. We’ve been here, done that, and are good to go with the flow. I don’t dig my heels in and complain when struck silly with illness, as once I did. Rather, I look and think and wonder what God might have in store for me this time. I used to rail and whine with each bout of illness that came our way, now I’m like, “huh…well, okay. We know how to do this.” I now feel fairly (notice I said fairly) comfortable telling people, “No, I can’t do that.” Because I know the limits on my energy. I don’t fear.
I liken it to fire drills. Or emergency preparedness. If you do something often enough, then you get kind of used to it. Am I comfortable being ill? Not hardly. But, I know that God will provide for our needs. He’s shown us again and again and again. When I go down, I’m not alone. He’s here, providing comfort in the sense of His being, through others, through family.
Some of my favorite passages are in Romans. One that get’s used an awful lot, found on stationary, door knockers, you name it, is Romans 8:28 And we know in all things that God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Is that an easy platitude to give someone going through a hard time? No. I think it’s often taken out of context. First, it’s a promise to those who belong to God, His children adopted by God through our great Savior, Jesus. Second, it’s a promise that no matter what we face, if we are submissive to Him, He can take all the trials of this life and work them out to further His plans, for our good. It’s a verse I hold dear. But, put in context, it’s ever so much more powerful:
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Paul goes on to say, if God is for us, who can be against us? Who indeed. If we belong to Him, then NOTHING can separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus. If you haven’t read this passage of Romans completely in a while, or maybe never–please do. It’s so much more than a platitude for those hurting. There is beautiful power in the Word of God. Here’s the link Romans 8.
by April | Jan 20, 2011 | Encouragement, Thankfulness, Uncategorized
We recently got new cell phones-the old ones were failing, so it was time. But, these are very different from what I was used to. They are more like tiny computers. In fact, I’m using it right now to write this blog.
When we were at the movies the other day, I noticed the ammended reminder signs to turn off our cell phones. Now it included the advisory against texting during the film. Two weeks ago, I would have thought this warning was silly…
All of this has gotten me thinking about change.
As a kid, I remember carrying a dime for the fabled emergency call I was told to always be prepared to make. I wore a backpack stocked with all my cassette tapes, and strapped on a walk-man that weighed like ten pounds, so I could have my tunes with me. (If you’re wondering where my schoolbooks were, don’t worry, they were safe in my locker.) Heaven forbid if my backpack got left in the car on a hot day–my tapes would sound warped and squeaky the next time I listened.
My daughter has an iPod that holds some two-thousand songs and slips neatly into her jacket, or jeans. She has no idea how amazing that is! And since we’ve gotten rid of cable, and only watch Netflix, my kids have no idea what anguish it was to wait for a repeat of favorite show just to miss it and hope against hope they’d run it a third time. Shush, don’t tell, but when I first started watching TV there were still black and white shows on! Or maybe it was because our first TV was a tiny black and white?
So, where am I going with all this? I was just imagining a time traveler from only fifty years ago popping in on our civilization and being in awe about the advances we’ve made, the ability we have to communicate so easily with one another, and to ask where in the world all the pay phones went to.
And it all makes me wonder just which things around me I’m taking for granted.
by April | Dec 21, 2010 | Encouragement
I got a package today from my mother. Inside were Christmas presents of and tucked to the side, I found a packet of old report cards. My mother had saved each and every one of them (since the 1st grade). Thanks Mom!
I sat down to read them, and saw a lot of poor marks at first. Then I saw great improvement. And then more poor marks. Now, I can see a direct correlation between what was going on in my private life (dealing with my parent’s divorce, feeling shuffled around, my mother’s 2nd marriage and other hard issues) and the marks on the page. I did the best with the teachers who looked past my chatty bravado (sometimes explosive anger) and saw the little girl inside. I did my worst with teachers I didn’t like and whom I’d exasperated beyond their limits (not sure about the chicken or egg factor here). Let’s just say, some years I spent more time sitting outside the classroom, than inside. We won’t talk about junior high—not sure how I got out of there alive. By the time high school rolled around, I’d grown more serious about school. But there was always that direct correlation between my personal life, the level of respect I had for my teacher, and my grade.
My faith made the biggest impact on me. I started to realize that what I did and how I did it mattered, not just for those I was working for, but to Jesus. Every little thing, even the most insignificant thing, was to be about Him—not me.
I’d like to report to my teachers that some things haven’t changed since school. I often talk in class, and find it VERY hard to sit still. I’m thankful for spell checker. I like to have things go my way in a debate. I hate doing busy work. There are sevearl areas of my life that ‘need improvement.’ However, other things have changed drastically. I’m now self-motivated. I share. I love to read. I still work the hardest for those I respect, but can now do a fairly good job for those I don’t. And my citizenship has improved about 100%.
Colossians 3: 23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Ephesians 6: 5-8 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.
Hebrews 4: 14-16 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
by April | Dec 11, 2010 | Christmas, Encouragement, Immanuel, Thankfulness
Guess what? It’s almost Christmas. And unless you’ve been living in a cave somewhere, the advertising gurus of the world have been drilling the holidays home into your brain for well over a month now. In fact, I think I saw Halloween and Christmas decorations up at the same time somewhere.
It’s easy to get caught up in the mad rush to get it all done. That’s one reason we, as a family, try to plan it all out early, so we can enjoy the day to day traditions we love so much about the season. Getting up every morning and turning on the tree and lights. Reading from scripture about the Christmas story. The kids taking turns reading our advent calendar. All along, pointing our family to the real reason for the season—Jesus birth.
I love Christmas carols and all the music playing on the radio—I don’t get one bit upset when they start to play it before Thanksgiving, because to me Thanksgiving rather ushers in a whole month of thankfulness that I feel when I remember the gift God gave us in His Son. The lights on the houses and trees serve to remind me that He is the light of the world. And when they play hymns on the radio, I feel blessed that they are playing music to my Lord every day for a full month—all because of His birth. Who else get’s a month long birthday celebration?
Now, I’m not naïve enough to think that everyone who celebrates Christmas is Christian, or even knows why we celebrate. I’m reminded of a mom and daughter a few years ago who were looking at boxed Christmas cards next to me. I was struggling to find just the right ones, and the daughter (about 16) held up one to her mother and asked, “What the heck does Im-man-u-el mean anyway?” Her mother shrugged and said it was probably something religious and they tossed the cards aside, moving on before I could speak. That event served to remind me I should always be ready with an answer.
Immanuel. God with us. God came down in the form of a helpless human baby for us, to be with us, so that we didn’t have to be alone anymore. He searched us out—there is no other world religion that can boast of a god that came to earth specifically to have a personal relationship with them. No one but Jesus. We don’t have to work and slave and prove ourselves good enough. All we have to do is believe in Him and turn away from our sin.
The gift of grace, love, relationship, forgiveness, hope and reconciliation is all wrapped up in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Luke 2: 8-12 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
To read the full Christmas story, please click here Luke Chapter 2
by April | Nov 24, 2010 | Encouragement, Food Allergies, Thankfulness
For us, Thanksgiving is about being thankful for our blessings—but it’s also about the sharing of a good meal. Two years ago, about now, we were facing our first gluten free Thanksgiving. It was struggle, but we made it. We exchanged old favorite recipes for new ideas. We cast off gluten and embraced a number of new flours—not all those experiments worked, mind you. Don’t ever try to make gravy with tapioca starch—unless you want jello that tastes like turkey. Not tasty. Nope.
Last year, some dear friends took us in because I was recovering from pneumonia, and they embraced a new diet for us—one void of not only gluten, but egg and dairy had to be eliminated now as well. It was lovely, and gave me courage that I could find some new traditions to embrace. But, keep in mind, I come from a long line of traditional cooking. You always have certain staples on the table—green bean casserole, apple and sausage bread stuffing, and a yummy fruit salad dish called Angel Salad (sworn to secrecy by my Mom2, so I will not tell you the ingredients, except to say it includes eggs and loads of dairy).
Where was I? Oh yeah, the year of giving up… I mean adjusting and embracing our new life in allergy-free land. Guess what? After doing this a while, it’s getting to be fairly painless—not entirely, but fairly. I mean…I really miss fluffy rolls! But, I’ve come up with a rice stuffing that still uses apples and sausage, and is very good. I’ve made green bean casserole by making my own cream of mushroom soup with coconut milk and potato flour (which, by the way, trumps Campbell’s by far—don’t get me started on Campbell’s). However, we’ve added a new troop to the injured list, my daughter is allergic to onions. SO, this year, I’m going to forgo the hour of soup making, and just come up with a new, new alternative.
Back to thankfulness. I’ve got a long line of things I’m thankful for. My family, my friends, my warm safe house, and living in an era where I can find safe foods for my children to eat. I’m thankful for my personal relationship with Jesus—He’s not a far away savior, He’s right here with me as I go through life’s trials and joys. I’m especially thankful I can get my eyes off my circumstances, and keep them on the Lord. I’m thankful for the Word of God that I can freely read anywhere and any place I want without fear of imprisonment and torture (this cannot be said for many countries). For all of these things, I’m Thankful to my Father God, my provider, my comforter.
Col 2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Col 3: 15-17 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
I started off writing this blog about seven weeks ago. I’d had a cold, was getting over it, and felt discouraged because it didn’t seem like I could keep up with life. There are so many people out there promoting their writing better than I do, turning out more stuff, and some how keeping their lives in ship shape order. I shared my insights with a friend who reminded me that my family lived at a different level than maybe other people’s families do. I didn’t understand what she meant.
