My Momma the Brave

It is no secret that my mom Barb Corcoran has been diagnosed with dementia. She has been living with Bob and I for over a year now and we certainly have seen the changes. Mom spends some weekends with her son and daughters and of course they also help out in getting her to appointments when I can't.
I am finding the difficulty that can be very disheartening, a little scary and honestly quite sad. On the other hand my mom's sense of humor is still going strong. I think she lifts me up as much as I attempt to lift her. Though sometimes she can become concerned, troubled or even distressed, she always makes a turn and is able to laugh at herself and even seems to like it when we go along with her humor. Such as the other day when she asked if she had taken her medicines yet. I lifted her hand to show her she was holding them in her hand...we both burst out laughing. That may seem sad but we both agreed, it was pretty funny.
It is also no secret that my mom and I haven't always gotten along or agreed on many points of thought. This has not changed a whole lot, I have to say, but I am learning the wisdom she carries and the story's of the history of our family. When I used to think "Here we go again" When listening to the story of her and grandpa starring at the stars and having deep conversations for the hundredth time.  I now go into a phase of trying to listen carefully and remember what she is saying.
Mom's long term memory is functioning quite well. We still depend on her when we have questions about the past. She can remember things from her past without a problem but has a hard time with short term memory and I have noticed it worsening.
Her past has become valuable to me in a way I never thought it would. Her repeated stories sometimes still get on my nerves but now I stop and remember, someday I will hear those stories no more. I listen tentatively now and smile.
My mother is a unique person and all of you out there who know her, know that. Others, when referring to my momma always do so with a smile on their face and speak of fond memories. Most of them call her mom too because that is who she was to them back in the day and many still consider her their mom.
Sometimes I wish that time would stop and mom could stay the same. This world is a much better place with her in it, for sure. I am learning to keep my mouth shut when disagreements come our way and remember to not sweat the small stuff. I used to freak out a little while taking care of Momma. I was terrified of not doing the right thing or making mistakes with her health wise. Now every day is just another day and God has blessed me by giving me a chance to honor her the way she honored me by raising us kids and putting up with our antics but loving us all along.
She now needs someone to remind her to do things but still can do most things herself. As I grow to understand Alzheimer's and how it effects it's victims, I know too that God is in control and with God Everything is possible...

Am I My Own Evil Twin?

My family would tell you that I am unique, and not necessarily in a good way. A little known fact about me is that up until the time of my birth I was supposed to be a twin. The Dr. heard two heartbeats and everything else that points to twins was there. At that time of course there was no ultra sound or gizmo's that could prove the point except for maybe x-rays which even then were known as dangerous.

Can you imagine two of us running around? Yikes!! Anyway, the elevator my mom was on the day I was born fell (which explains some things) and mom was trapped for a while. She got out and went into labor and when she awoke had only one baby. No one seems to know how the mistake of twins was predicted, but only one of us came out. Sounds fishy to me. Sometimes I fantasize about another one of me out there roaming around. It is a little scary even to me and certainly to my brothers and sisters. And who knows what might have happened back in the day? Maybe someone paid someone off because they wanted a child or maybe something happened to the other one of me in the elevator incident and no one wanted to be held liable. The thoughts go on and on...and on.

When I used to live in South Omaha and would go to K-Mart on 50th and L or Hy-Vee on L street people would insist that I was Debbie who was a regular customer. I never did see this Debbie but one time I missed her by only minutes at the Mart (it's kind of like a Clark Kent/Superman thing going on). Clark is never around when Superman is. Maybe I have an alter-ego like Superman and become amnesiac when she appears. They said they had told her about me so I don't know, maybe she was watching for me too. Heck maybe Debbie was really me, the voices in my head took over and I became Debbie. It could happen.  One time at girl scout camp a counselor insisted I was there the session before. I think she was a little perturbed that I was arguing with her.

I think about how much fun it would have been to dress alike and trade places in class like my dad and my uncle did. My grades would probably have been much better and my teachers would have thought more kindly of me.

Maybe, just maybe, I have an Evil Twin wandering around! Or maybe I'm the Evil Twin, that would certainly explain some of the events of rebellion while growing up. 

Anyway, Debbie, if you're out there and you were born on February 3, 1960 at the old St. Joseph Hospital on 10th Street and was adopted, shoot me a message and we'll have coffee sometime, or if we meet on Wednesday at Village Inn we'll get free pie. Oh, by the way, happy belated birthday!!


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God Bless all of you readers with abundant life!!

"He has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His Love. In whom we have redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins."
Colossians 1:13&14

What Gets Under Your Skin?

I decided that since I was having a hard time thinking about what to write, I would give ya'll some insight as to what TICKS ME OFF. I'm sure there are more and I am getting better at "cooling down" when I come across any of the following. Let me tell you, that is God! He is so good and reminds me constantly that we are all His creation, we all make mistakes and we all need forgiveness and I know I can tee other people off, soooooo here goes!

Let me know some of the things that bother you.

 

 

What peeves me off?

1. Gaining weight - and yes, I have gained 10 lbs.! I am really PI**ED at myself! I'm thinking it is nerves/mindless eating and has to stop.

2. People showing disrespect to me or anybody else. (I've gotten in trouble a few times when I saw someone treating someone wrong) Kids that disrespect adults!!

3.  Being ignored is a big one. (On the other hand too much attention is embarrassing) .a simple acknowledgement is all I ask.

4.  Public humiliation for me or others. (Again that spells trouble for my tongue)

5.  False accusations

6.  Assumptions as to what I  am thinking.

7.  Being taken advantage of.

8.  The silent treatment - please give me the courtesy of letting me know what I did wrong. Only then can it be corrected. 

9.  Talking bad against family. For some reason I still feel I have to defend them to outsiders. I will be in your face... I think it's a firstborn thing.

10.  People who want to debate issues without little or no information on the subject at hand

11. Promises not kept w/o good reason.

12. People who constantly ask questions during movies or TV shows. (This is one that I have come across fairly recently) I am learning to be patient.

 

I really would like you to share things that bug you too

 

After All This Time, I'm Still Not Done

Well, well, well. Here I still am and there you still are just waiting to hear another one of my fabulous blogs. Man, someone needs a life, lol. You know I'm just kidding. Figured my 55th birthday would be a wonderful day for a long overdue matter of opinion on anything that comes to mind, disguised as a blog.
I haven't blogged  since August of 2013. Is there anybody still out there reading, not that that will stop me?  :-)
Well lets see...I have lost 180 plus from my highest weight and have slowed down considerably in the weight loss of late. My weight loss surgery was September 3rd of 2013.
I still fight the fight of eating right, getting the exercise I need, keeping the attitude and lately I have been once more talking to food. Yep, you heard me talking to food. The conversation usually goes something like this:

Pumpkin Bread "Hey Niecie, over here"
Me: At this point I usually plug my ears and sing lalalalalalalalalalalals.
Pumpkin Bread (louder) "You know I'm your favorite food"
Me: "So, purple is my favorite color but I don't paint myself purple".
PB: "You did once"
Me: "OK, number one, how did you know that? and B that was a long time ago"
PB:  "Never mind how I know. You need me."
Me: "Pumpkin bread(?) I don't need no stinking Pumpkin Bread! Or sometimes it's just  "Nanny, nanny, boo, boo I no longer need you".

Note to self: do not take mom to the grocery store without shadowing her". This is where many of these enemies lay in wait to pounce into moms grocery basket unnoticed and forgotten.

Something like that anyway. However, sometimes the pumpkin bread is the victorious one. But, I am doing better (once I finished off the pumpkin bread) :/  I didn't go through all that pain and discomfort of surgery and recovery for naught.
People who think I took the easy way to weight loss (which I have been told a few times) are oh, so wrong.

I would love to say I've done it on my own but Gods direction and the help of many family, friends and professionals have played important parts in my success.
Two months of pain, vomiting, diarrhea and pain that continues still with certain foods is not the easy way out.

I am in between sizes now. 3X I walk around holding my pants up. 2X keeps me from breathing on a regular bases. I have giant bat wings and my tummy swings a bit which I think is what is keeping me from sizing down. My neck is showing some loose skin but I can walk farther and breath a little better though some things have gotten more complicated health wise. It's all good and I am sure it will get better.

Other interesting things that have happened since August 2013 is, Lindsay married Derek Bazer, Jackie moved out with her friends, no grand kids yet but my mom is now living with us. Corrin and Luke bought a house and Jackie and Doug Mulder are still together.

Hopefully, you will all be caught up shortly.

Love and Marriage

33 years ago today I married my best friend in the world! We were young (20 and 23) and very naive. Our dreams were big and in our hearts we would live happily ever after. Then God laughed and life happened.
If we have learned nothing else in this life  together we have learned the meaning of patience, perseverance, strength, forgiveness, acceptance, and most of all marriage.
We have not always been "happy" with each other and we have not always been on the same page with our priorities, struggled through many hardships, taken each other for granted but we have always chosen to love each other through those times knowing somehow God would bring us through to the other side, and He did! Each situation we struggled through somehow became less important as we grew together working side by side.
We often stand back in awe as we look at the product of our lives, our legacy. Our children have learned through the good times and hard times too and, though I wish sometimes that they were not involved in the latter, have become stronger for it. God is so good and His Mercy is overwhelming!
I don't know what the future holds for us but I do know I will never take for granted the fact that God will be there and He will work it out for good somehow.
I love you Robert Paul Martin and always will. You make me laugh like no one else. You have been so patient with me and have shown me that you are there for "us", no matter what. You are my soul mate, my life partner and most of all my husband!  

The God of Science

I love documentaries and watch them as often as I can - mostly when Bob and the kids are not around.
Lately, there have been many docs on the Bible as archeologist and other scientist try to explain the Word of God away in a secular fashion. However, God is a God of logic and truth. 
 There are so many that try so hard to scientifically disprove the authenticity of the Word of God yet argue that those things proven, by the same laws of science they are akin too, are no more than coincidence.
Science is amazing and the drive to know God is the catalyst of scientific thought and discovery, at least that is my theory.
Of late I see science that bases fact on theory and consensus rather than fact - so much so that instead of even considering the Bible or the fact that a creator could possibly be real is more easily written off as the contact of "Space Aliens" to explain the Bible. These are the same people that call us closed minded.
People are amazing to me. Even the disciples questioned what happened before their very eyes, when they witnessed the Lord performing miracles, rather than believing. Peter was actually walking on the water with the Lord at his side yet doubt came in and stole his miracle away and he sank. We as Christians are no different. We have seen miracles and prayers answered yet when we are afraid or need a prayer answered we do everything in 'our power' before we consider faith and trust in our God because of our continued doubt. If we truly believed wouldn't that be the first place we would go?

   
Below is one of my bookmark pages and contains "scientific" truths that lend relevance and proof that the Judeo-Christian Bible had to be inspired by "The Creator of the Universe". It is very interesting.



                                           http://www.bibletoday.com/archive/proof_text.htm

The God of Science

Science is a systematic knowledge of the physical or material universe gained by observable facts. The sacred writings of all world religions basically contain a system of faith. Yet each do make statements within the province of science that provides a uniquely valid test to prove their authenticity. If their scientific observations are in reality superstitions reflective of the culture in which they were written, these so called sacred books are disqualified as the inspired Scripture of God. If, indeed, the scientific observations of any of these purported Holy Scripture agree with the facts of science today, then that Bible is the inspired Word of a true and living God. Why? The Creator and God of the universe is the God of science — the author of the scientific laws that govern His universe. Only the God of science could cause scientific facts to be recorded in a book —the Bible — hundreds or thousands of years before scientists discover them.
Only the Judeo-Christian Bible contains scientific facts that anticipated scientific discovery by hundreds and in some cases several thousand years. The following are examples of remarkable scientific observations found in the Judeo-Christian Bible.

What Holds the Earth Up?

Three thousand years ago the Hindu scriptures recorded the earth was resting on the backs of several huge elephants. The elephants were resting on the back of a very large turtle that was swimming in a sea. Greek mythology claims that the god Atlas was holding the earth on his shoulders. But our Bible says in Job 26:7 — "[God] hangeth the earth on nothing." What a remarkable statement of fact. The earth is suspended in space. Nothing is holding it up. Job wrote about the same time the Hindu Scripture was written. How did Job know this scientific fact? Only God could have revealed this to Job. The Old Testament prophets wrote as they were moved by the holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). The Judeo-Christian Bible is the inspired Word of God.

Flat Versus Round Earth

For thousands of years people believed the earth was flat. If one went too far, he would fall over the edge. This was taught in both Hindu and Buddhist scripture. In the 1500s, the first ship sailed around the world. This proved the earth was round. But the round earth was recorded in the Judeo-Christian Bible long before man discovered it in the 1500s.
The prophet Isaiah (40:22) spoke of the "circle of the earth." Solomon wrote, "He [God] set a compass [circle] upon the face of the deep." Proverbs 8:27. In our century, Arabs spoke of infidels being pushed over the edge into space. About 3,000 years ago, our Bible said the earth was round. This was not discovered until 500 years ago. Indeed, the Judeo-Christian Bible is the inspired Word of God.

Sun, Moon and Stars — Who? What?

Ancient people were afraid of the sun, moon and stars. They thought they were alive — that they were gods. But over 5,000 years ago, the Judeo-Christian Bible in the first chapter of Genesis pointed out that the sun, moon and stars were created by God. Remember, our God states that He is the one and only God. This proves the sun, moon and stars that He created are not gods.
Eclipses are an example of what people feared. An eclipse happens when the sun’s light is blocked by the earth or moon. The moon is bright because it reflects the sun’s light. But when the earth blocks that light, the moon looks like it is disappearing. Also, when the moon comes between the earth and the sun, it looks like the sun is disappearing.
This was frightening to people long ago. Some thought eclipses happened when the moon was mad at the earth and turned its face away. The Chinese believed that an eclipse was caused by a demon or some huge animal that ate the sun and then would give them up again. God told Jeremiah (10:2 KJ): "Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them." God went on to reassure Jeremiah that the universe is under God’s control.
Later scientists learned that heavenly bodies were not alive and that man need not fear them. Thousands of years before scientists discovered that the planetary bodies were inanimate, the Judeo-Christian Bible contained this scientific fact.

The Bottom of the Ocean

Until modern times people thought the ocean floor was sandy like the desert and saucer shaped—deepest in the middle. This was even true of the pre-1900 geologists. But in the 1900s oceanographers found the sea had many deep valleys or canyons. The deepest canyons were called trenches. The Marianas Trench in the Pacific is so deep that if Mt. Everest (29,000 feet high) was dropped into it, the peak would still be a mile below the water’s surface. There are also underwater mountains. The Atlantic Ocean contains an undersea range of mountains 10,000 miles long.
In addition, 3,000 years ago the Judeo-Christian Bible spoke of the valleys and mountains of the sea. In Psalm 18:15 (NIV) David wrote of God being the creator of "the valleys of the sea." God asked Job (38:16 NIV): "Have you walked in the recesses [valleys] of the sea?" The prophet Jonah was thrown off a ship and spoke of falling to the bottom of the mountains in the sea (Jonah 2:6).
The Judeo-Christian Bible spoke of the valleys and mountains of the sea thousands of years before scientists discovered them. Indeed our Bible is the inspired Word of God.

The Paths of the Sea

In the 1800s, Matthew Maury, an officer in the United States Navy believed his Bible. As a Christian he loved to read the Bible. One day Maury was reading about the dominion man was given over the animals in Psalm 8. He was amazed that verse 8 spoke of the fish and all creatures that swim in the "paths of the sea." "Paths of the sea"— how could this be? He never knew there was such a thing. He was determined to find them. Maury discovered that the oceans have many paths or currents, which were like rivers flowing through the sea. Maury wrote the first book on oceanography and became known as "the pathfinder of the seas"— "The father of modern navigation."
Maury received his idea about ocean currents from reading Psalm 8:8 which was written about 3,000 years ago by King David. David wrote as he was moved by the Spirit of God and probably never actually saw an ocean.
Incidentally, Psalm 8:8 also spoke of fish in the "paths of the seas." All fishing boats make a good catch in the currents or paths of the sea. They have learned this is where the fish swim.

Lightning, Thunder and Rain

In ancient times, most religious scripture taught that lightning bolts were missiles thrown in anger by their gods.⁹ In China, Taoist scripture regarded the rainbow as a deadly rain dragon.¹⁰ In Confucius scripture, the goddess of lightning, Tien Mu, flashed light on intended victims to enable Lei Kung, the god of thunder to launch his deadly bolts accurately.¹¹
Since rain is so necessary to life, ancient people pondered what caused it. Some tried to stab holes in the clouds with spears. The Vedas (Hindu scripture) advised to tie a frog with its mouth open to the right tree and say the right words and rain would fall.
Our Bible also talks about rain, lightning and storms. But it contains none of these superstitious ideas found in the other so- called scriptures. The Judeo-Christian Bible taught that earth’s weather followed rules and cycles. Genesis 8:22. "While the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."
Job stated (28:26): "God made decrees [rules] for the rain. And He set a way for the lightning of the thunder:" Centuries later, scientists began to discern the "rules for the rain" that Job talked about. Rainfall is part of a process called the water cycle. Here’s how the cycle works. The sun evaporates water from the ocean. That water vapor rises and becomes clouds. This water in the clouds falls back to earth as rain, collects in streams and rivers and makes its way back to the ocean. That process repeats itself again and again.
About 300 years ago, Galileo discovered this cycle. But amazingly the Scriptures described this cycle centuries before. The prophet Amos (9:6) wrote that God "calls for the water of the sea. He pours them out on the land." How did Amos know this? He wrote as he was moved by the Spirit of God.
Actually, scientists are just beginning to fully understand God’s "decrees or rules for the rain." Since 68 BC it was thought that somehow thunder triggered the rainfall. Now scientists are beginning to realize that as stated in Job 28:26, it is lightning that triggers the rain to fall. Job knew this 3,000 years ago. Certainly his writings were inspired of God (2 Peter 1:21).

Pleiades, Orion and Arcturus

Remember the story of Job? Job was extremely wealthy — enjoying a wonderful family. Then tragedy struck. He lost his wealth. His children were killed and his wife deserted him. Then Job lay in excruciating pain, covered with sores from head to toe. All this was too much for Job. He accused the Lord of being unjust. God didn’t answer Job’s accusation directly. He merely raised questions concerning the wonders of His creation. Three of these questions found in Job 38:31, 32, illustrate the dynamic logic conveyed in God’s questions.
Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?
ORION

"Canst thou . . . loose the bands of Orion?" Garrett P. Serviss, the noted astronomer, wrote about the bands of Orion¹² in his book CURIOSITIES OF THE SKY.

At the present time this band consists of an almost perfect straight line, a row of second-magnitude stars about equally spaced and of the most striking beauty. In the course of time, however, the two right-hand stars, Mintaka and Alnilam, will approach each other and form a naked-eye double; but the third, Alnitak, will drift away eastward so that the band will no longer exist.

In other words, one star is traveling in a certain direction at a certain speed, a second one is traveling in a different direction at a second speed, and the third one is going in a third direction and at a still different speed. Actually every star in Orion is traveling its own course, independent of all the others. Thus, these stars that we see forming one of the bands of Orion are like three ships out on the high seas that happen to be in line at the present moment, but in the future will be separated by thousands of miles of ocean. In fact, all these stars that at the present time constitute the constellation of Orion are bound for different ports, and all are journeying to different corners of the universe, so that the bands are being dissolved.
THE PLEIADES "Canst thou bind the sweet influence of the Pleiades . . . ?" Notice the amazing astronomical contrast with the Pleiades. The seven stars of the Pleiades are in reality a grouping of 250 suns. Photographs now reveal that 250 blazing suns in this group are all traveling together in one common direction. Concerning this cluster, Isabel Lewis of the United States Naval Observatory tells us: ¹³

Astronomers have identified 250 stars as actual members of this group, all sharing in a common motion and drifting through space in the same direction.

Elsewhere Lewis speaks of them as "journeying onward together through the immensity of space."
From Lick Observatory came this statement of Dr. Robert J. Trumpler:¹⁴

Over 25,000 individual measures of the Pleiades stars are now available, and their study led to the important discovery that the whole cluster is moving in a southeasterly direction. The Pleiades stars may thus be compared to a swarm of birds, flying together to a distant goal. This leaves no doubt that the Pleiades are not a temporary or accidental agglomeration of stars, but a system in which the stars are bound together by a close kinship.

Dr. Trumpler said that all this led to an important discovery. Without any reference whatsoever to the Book of Job, he announced to the world that these discoveries prove that the stars in the Pleiades are all bound together and are flying together like a flock of birds as they journey to their distant goal. That is exactly what God said. "Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades?" In other words, Canst thou keep them bound together so that they remain as a family of suns?
INCREDIBLE! God's laws of cosmology are loosing or dissolving the constellation Orion. Sometime in the far distant future, Orion will be no more. Conversely, wonder of wonders — every last one of the 250 blazing suns in the Pleiades are ordained of God to orbit together in their symmetrical beauty throughout eternity.
ARCTURUS "Canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?" Garrett P. Serviss wrote:¹⁵

Arcturus, one of the greatest suns in the universe, is a runaway whose speed of flight is 257 miles per second. Arcturus, we have every reason to believe, possesses thousands of times the mass of our sun. Think of it! Our sun is traveling only 12 ½ miles a second, but Arcturus is traveling 257 miles a second. Think then of the prodigious momentum this motion implies.

A further observation of Arcturus by Serviss reveals: ¹⁶

It could be turned into a new course by a close approach to a great sun, but it could only be stopped by collision head on with a body of enormous mass. Barring such accidents, it must, as far as we can see, keep on until it has traversed our stellar system, whence it may escape and pass out into space beyond to join perhaps one of those other island universes of which we have spoken.

Charles Burckhalter, of the Chabot Observatory, added an interesting note regarding this great sun: ¹⁷

This high velocity places Arcturus in that very small class of stars that apparently are a law unto themselves. He is an outsider, a visitor, a stranger within the gates; to speak plainly, Arcturus is a runaway. Newton gives the velocity of a star under control as not more than 25 miles a second, and Arcturus is going 257 miles a second. Therefore, combined attraction of all the stars we know cannot stop him or even turn him in his path.

When Mr. Burckhalter had his attention called to this text in the book of Job, he studied it in the light of modern discovery and made a statement that has attracted worldwide attention:¹⁸

The study of the Book of Job and its comparison with the latest scientific discoveries has brought me to the matured conviction that the Bible is an inspired book and was written by the One who made the stars.

The wonders of God’s universe never cease to amaze us. Arcturus and his sons are individual runaway suns that seem to be out of orbit in our galaxy. Traveling at such incredible speeds, why don’t they crash with other suns or planets? Where are they headed? Only God knows. Indeed they are not runaways. They will not crash. Why? God is guiding them.

The Lesson of The Pleiades, Orion, and Arcturus

Few have suffered the multiple tragedies of Job. How could God reach through the enormity of Job’s self-pity? (Job thought God just didn’t care.) In these three questions (Job 38:31, 32) God is in reality saying:

Job, you think I am not concerned about your suffering. Well, let Me ask you these questions. Can you loose the bands of Orion? No, you cannot. But My Divine power will. Some day Orion will no longer exist. Job, can you bind the 250 stars of the Pleiades together in their symmetry of beauty and not have a single one drift off? Only I have this power and wisdom. Can you prevent the runaways — Arcturus and his sons — from colliding as they go dashing out of the Milky Way? No, only My Divine power and wisdom can.
Job, if I am caring for the details of the universe, do you doubt that I not only care for the details of your life, but I have the ability to solve your problems? Trust that there is a good reason I am permitting these tragedies. Remember, Job, I work from the perspective of your eternal welfare.

What an awesome way God chose to tell Job that He was in full control of human affairs, including Job's life!

The Lesson of Job for Us

Some write off the history of Job as Old Testament folklore. Whoever heard of God talking to a man! These are hand-me-down tales! However, the account of Job cannot be gainsaid. Whatever the method of communication used by God, the astonishing facts cannot be refuted. These scientific facts recorded in the book of Job concerning the Pleiades, Orion and Arcturus anticipated scientific discovery by nearly 3,000 years. Scientists only discovered these startling facts in the Twentieth Century, yet they were recorded in the book of Job nearly 3000 years ago. What an awesome confirmation of the Bible! Who can doubt the Bible is the inspired word of God? Yes, the book of Job has a powerful, exclusive lesson for modern man. Twentieth Century science has proven God’s Word, the Bible, is true.

Other Sacred Books and the Physical Sciences

The Hindu scriptures, the Vedas and Uparushads, consider that "all the objects and phenomena of nature which man is surrounded, are animate and divine."¹⁹ This includes the sun, moon, earth, clouds, rain, rivers, seas and rocks as being alive. Writers of the Buddhist canon also ascribe life to numerous non-living objects— sun, moon, lightning, rainbows, mountains, etc. The Taoist and Confucian writings of China contain similar errors.
The Koran, the scripture of Islam, written 1,500 years after the Hindu scripture, does not contain many of the ancient superstitions. Yet its observations of the universe are seriously flawed. The Koran speaks of seven literal heavens which are solid.²⁰ These heavens contain lamps or stars whose main purpose is to be "darted at the devils."²¹ Mohammed wrote that "the sun sets in a sea of black mud."²²

Which Bible is Inspired by a Living God?

The Judeo-Christian Scripture made scientific observations that were confirmed centuries later by modern science, while the sacred scripture of other world religions merely reflected the scientific superstitions of their culture. How could the Judeo-Christian Scripture anticipate scientific discovery by 3,000 years? The Judeo-Christian Bible was written by men who were inspired by the Creator and God of the Universe — the God of science. Only the Judeo-Christian Bible is the Divine Revelation provided by our infinite Creator to direct us in the path to eternity.

Click here to send us your question on this subject and we will provide you a Bible answer.

¹⁰ Douglas, CONFUCIANISM AND TAOISM, pp. 260-271.
¹¹ Williams C.A.S., OUTHLINES OF CHINESE SYMBOLISM AND ART MOTIVES, (Dover Publications Inc.).
¹² Garrett P. Serviss, CURIOSITIES OF THE SKY.
¹³ Phillip L. Knox, WONDER WORLDS (Washington, DC: Review and Herald Publishing Assoc., 1964) p.61
¹⁴ Ibid.
¹⁵ Serviss.
¹⁶ Ibid.
¹⁷ Knox, p. 60.
¹⁸ Ibid.
¹⁹ MacDonell, A. A., VEDIC MYTHOLOGY, (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1974) p. 2.
²⁰ THE KORAN, Trans. George Sale (London: Frederick Warne, 1909) pp. 5, 541.
²¹ Ibid., p. 567.
²² Ibid., p. 294.










      

"So long 2012" - "Yay 2013!!"

Hello friends, glad to be able to blog to you all!!

Well, this year is definitely a welcome sight as last year was a long and stressful one. This is the year of change for me and the rest of my family. Lindsay is getting married in June. Jackie will probably be moving out and Bob and I will be on our own...maybe, and I will be having gastric surgery!

So much happened in 2012 and our family went through a lot of ups and downs. But, in the end, we are all together, standing strong and in unity. God is so very good and so very full of mercy and grace! Sometimes that is all we have to fall back on.

This year will be one of many changes. Lindsay is getting married this summer. That is very hard for me to believe. Her Fiance Derek is a great guy and is going to school at Grace University and will soon become a Pastor. He is going for his masters and is interested in possibly teaching as well. Lindsay will be going in to Radiology and is attending UNO. They are young but this is definitely a God Thing and is simply meant to be. They knew they would be together before they started dating. God is so Good.

Ok, now for the Weight Issues... I am still waiting for the Okay from Medicare for the surgery. In the mean  time I am trying very hard to lose the 20 pounds I have left to lose before the surgery. I gained weight over the holidays so it has been hard.

I am doing the high protein low carb portion control thing. I am planning on going on a liquid diet here shortly which I will need to be on before surgery. No sugar, no caffeine  except for 1cup of coffee a day, So, I will mostly be drinking water, broth, protein shakes and skim milk with powdered milk mixed together... mm mm mm. You are supposed to be on this diet 2 weeks before the surgery so I figure I might as well be on it now so that when the ok is given I'll be ready and maybe be able to speed the process up. I want to get it done ASAP so I will be ready for the wedding.

I started the YMCA for the water exercises and such. I've been there twice. The second time I felt more self-conscious. The class is co-ed and the people are older so they are nice but the kids and teens running around make me nervous. So, I put up my wall of protection. I smile and try to talk to people all the time hoping someone doesn't notice me and say something to hurt my feelings. Most of the time I can handle it and just let it fall off when I hear something derogatory or see somebody snicker but sometimes I get caught up in the humiliation of the situation. Today was one of those days. They have a special needs changing and shower room and I broke the bench and fell on the floor. Jackie happened to be in the room outside the shower which was bad enough but I had to finish showering, get dressed and tell the desk person. In my defense the special needs bench was screwed in and not bolted in as I think it should have been and it did look like this situation had happened before but, I felt like a loser.  The staff handled it well and were apologetic and acted like it was no big deal which helped me a lot.  So, it is what it is and things like this may happen from time to time.  Anyway, today was quite the adventure. I know this all sounds pathetic but it is how I feel and what my life is like as a morbidly obese individual. And though I will probably laugh myself about the bench thing - it was classic - keep in mind when you see an XXL person they are probably uncomfortable in their skin and afraid how they will be treated. Treat them like you would anyone else.

So, for this year, I can't wait to see my daughter walk "down the isle" so to speak as they are getting married outdoors! I can't wait to be able to not have to worry about where I am going to sit or if I can sit at all and not have to take my chair when I leave the house. I can't wait to walk into Walmart or JC Penny and buy something off the rack. I can't wait for the amazing changes that will happen this year!!

GOD IS SO GOOD, and all of the things that the enemy has meant for bad my Lord has turned it into GOOD!

Blessings of Peace and the abundance of God's Love to you all!

NiecieDee 

All day I have had that stomach virus thing that is going around. It got really bad an hour ago. Jackie is in big trouble, she started it.

I have bragged that I haven't had a stomach virus in three years because of something Hillary Clinton said a few years back. Yes, Hillary.  She said that she ate something spicy every day and since then she had not had any virus's or bacterial infections.

So I started it and guess what, it works! I have not had a stomach infection in 3 years.
My lungs have stayed clear and I have had only a couple of sinus infections (which I used to get all the time) and they weren't as bad. I have a hard time breathing sometimes but that is the heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. Onions and garlic are great too.

I usually like Red Devil Lousiana Hotsauce and put it in just about everything! Until about two weeks ago. Don't know why, but I stopped. Boy am I sorry now!! I doesn't have to be hot peppers either. Bell peppers do it too. So break out the Tabisco, Red Devil or what ever floats your canoe.

I know I'm not exactly a poster child for good health but you might want to give them a try. Here's a story about it all on the bottom of the page.

Thought this would be about politics didn't ya?? Psych!!! Don't worry it's coming. Muhahahahahaha...

Peppers have:
Vitamin A, which may help preserve eyesight, and fend off infections
Vitamin C, which may lower cancer risk and protect against cataracts
Vitamin B6, which is vital for essential chemical reactions throughout the body, including those involving brain and immune function
Lutein and zeaxanthin, which may slow the development of eye diseases, such as cataracts or macular degeneration
Beta-carotene, which may help protect against certain types of cancer, such as breast cancer in women before menopause
Lycopene, which may decrease the risk for ovarian cancer

ABOUT | CONTACT | REPORTERS | MEDILL DC | RSS | HOME

Story URL: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=62587
Story Retrieval Date: 11/9/2012 10:48:01 PM CST

    

Peter Holderness / Medill

Narthasia Reyes, 47, picks hot peppers with
help from her friend Sandra Webb, 57, at a downtown
farmers market on Tuesday. The women plan to give the
spicy produce to a friend for homemade gardiniere.

Peppers are hot -- as a health and diet aid

by Darren Swan
Oct 02, 2007

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Peter Holderness / Medill

The spicier a pepper, the stronger its
health effect.

When it comes to health food, people pick peppers

Hot peppers have been around for more than 6,000 years and now they are taking the medical world by storm.
They have an array of health benefits and it’s time to get them in your diet.
Most authentic Mexican dishes call for some type of hot pepper, whether they be jalapeno, poblano or even chiles—all do the trick. Some sandwiches at your local deli come with pepperoncini or even wax peppers.
However, Dawn Jackson Blatner, registered dietician and author, said people need to get creative in the ways they incorporate these little red, green, yellow, red and orange vegetable fireballs to acquire a taste for some of nature’s piquant foods.
Blatner said hot pepper medicine is exciting because people have these foods already in their cabinets.
“The first take home message for people is that these foods taste good and it can be good for you too,” the Chicago-based nutrition expert said.
“Hot peppers and their active ingredient, capsaicin, acts as an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory agent, reduces risk for heart disease, and is great for people with arthritis or marathoners regarding inflammation. It’s a pretty special spice.”
Preliminary research proposes that adding a teaspoon of cayenne pepper can cause the body to burn an extra 15 calories after eating the meal.
Blatner, a personal cayenne pepper lover, has come up with several different ways to incorporate the food into her diet.
She will burn some whole grain popcorn and sprinkle the pepper on top of it. Adding it to spaghetti sauce is a good way to subdue the strength of the pepper without losing its nutritional value.
Mix some in with a low fat frozen chocolate yogurt can give a peppery touch to dessert. This is a must-have spice to keep in your rack.
The power of plants and vegetables does not surprise dietitians. Hot peppers are phenomenal for the body and these experts in food and diet rely on these to help improve the human condition.
“We know plants are very powerful to protect humans against disease and we use them as much as possible,” she said.
Not everyone loves spicy food or can tolerate it, for that matter.
Sometimes it takes up to 14 food exposures in taste tests or especially with children to get used to a new food.
Blatner, who works with overweight patients at Northwestern Memorial Hospital Wellness Institute in Chicago and is a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, said eating hot peppers is like any other desired health habit.
“Keep practicing and one day you’ll start craving it,’ she said.

The secret is out: hot peppers are the spice to a healthier life.
Capsaicin, the hot pepper’s natural heat-causing component, has been proven to kill cancer cells, prevent sinus infections, serve as an anti-inflammatory agent, provide gastric relief and produce fat oxidation.
A daily dose of hot peppers lets people breath easier, feel less pain and lower their body fat.
Registered Dietitians and medical experts in Chicago are pushing the multitalented and diverse health benefits of hot peppers.
Carla R. Heiser, registered dietitian and managing partner of Body Logic MD in Chicago, advocates diet and lifestyle strategies in conjunction with a cohesive medicinal plan.
“Medication is used to heal and people can use their food to keep the process going to eventually come off the medication," Heiser said. "Successful diet and lifestyle pathways can get us away from a reliance on medications.”
The burn felt while eating a jalapeno, habenero or cayenne pepper comes directly from the food’s capsaicin. Capsaicin, though odorless and flavorless, is primarily found in the pepper’s seeds and ribs, but is also evenly distributed throughout the vegetable’s flesh, according to the Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition.
It retains the unique ability to provoke prostate cancer cell suicide, repress joint pain, block pro-inflammatory chain reactions in the blood and reduce nerve fiber swelling in the brain.
This age-old vegetable has similar effects to those of Aleve, Tylenol, Advil, Tums and chemotherapy all wrapped in one—except this food has zip, taste and no fearful side effects to the consumer beyond a spicy backlash.
The hot pepper’s fuel has the same metabolic effects as Ephedra without containing Ephredra’s negative cardiovascular side effects. It has been added to vitamin and weight loss supplements to increase effectiveness and safety.
A common myth exists that hot peppers cause ulcers and small intestine irritation.
However, research asserts that though spicy food may add to ulcer pain and irritation, it does not function as a cause: Ulcer development has never been factually linked to spicy foods or hot peppers.
Recent experiments at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles provided experimental evidence supporting capsaicin’s ability to halt prostate cell replication and encourage programmed cell death. Heiser said the uncovered benefits of capsaicin are on the right evolutionary road and we as eaters should get on the bandwagon.
“The first path was treating cancer cells with capsaicin and then to use the data to write the study that would then be applied to animals,” she said.
“This is all a scientific process," she said. "We’ll move from a Petrie to replication on an animal model and with good results they are likely to move to human beings. Animals might even be skipped because [hot peppers] are already in our food supply.”
Hot pepper research has become incredibly popular in 2007 with more than 200 placebo-controlled studies conducted in that time.

©2001 - 2012 Medill Reports - Chicago, Northwestern University. A publication of the Medill School.

This, That and the Other thing... What was I saying again?

 Hi everyone, I have so much going on in my head right now but, that is nothing new. The ADHD thing is kinda running my life right now. My thinking process can be very entertaining but sometimes a little scary. It is hard for me to concentrate which makes it hard for me to write, which makes it hard to blog. I currently have 2 other blogs started which may explain the issue with getting them out there. This coupled with the other mental issues going on in this brain of mine can make life truly interesting and gives way to my husband and kids daily game of "Which Mom do we Have Today?"

As some of you who have been with me through this know I have been trying to lose weight. Well, I am still trying and it is not working.

I have decided to have gastric bypass surgery. So, to those of you who understand, thank you so much for your support. To those who think I am wimping out or that I am just not trying hard enough - and I have talked to a few of you - I have no apologies. I am aware that it can be done and that many have done it but in that vein I have failed time and time again. This is something I have decided after much prayer, talking to my family, counselor, friends...etc. This is by no means the "Easy Way Out". It will be a long, painful, healing process and hope I will have people who will put their feelings about the procedure aside and encourage me through this.

I have always said that if I could be on a desert Island where my food choices were very limited and healthy for an extended period of time I could get that jump start and be able to change my eating habits. This surgery will be my island and God will be my refuge. I will have to be very limited for a very long time with what I eat and I know this will  also change the way my brain signals when to eat and when not to. This will still be a struggle for me at first but at least I will be forced into compliance with my determination to be healthy. If I do not get healthy now my Dr. says I will probably not live another 7 years. I have moderate Pulmonary Artial Hypertension which caused heart failure and a few autoimmune issues that seem to have been running my life of late. These 'diseases', the Dr.'s say, will not go away but I will be able to function more on a normal level and be around a lot longer to make others miserable with my incredible charm and sarcastic bantor; and then, I take over then I take over the WORLD!!!!! Muuuuuuuuuuuhahahahahahahaha, *cough*. Anyway, prayers would be appreciated during this long drawn out process.

Also, part of this process will include me visiting with a psychiatrist. I already have - Bob said I could keep her - own but apparently that doesn't count. So, those of you who know me really well please pray extra hard!!!! Then you can go back to pretending like you don't. ;-)

Thank you to all who have been with me through this. I will keep you posted and in the next blog, which I have already started (see ADHD) will be coming soon and will be more of a shall we say, thought process theme.

God Bless and love you,
Niecie!!!

___________________________________________________

*ADHD stands for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, a syndrome characterized by an impaired ability to regulate activity level (hyperactivity), attend to tasks (inattention), and inhibit behavior (impulsivity). ADHD is thought to be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain that affects the parts controlling attention, concentration and impulsivity.

The WaShawtee Legacy

We were at Waubonsie / Washawtee this last week and of course had a blast! My sister Cindy (Boo) and her girls Allie – 11 and Katie - 8, Patty and my niece Jenna and I all stayed at Windy knoll, Cabin #6. I love my nieces!!!!!

This is the place I come to see the beauty of God. I camped here in the summer from the age of 8 through 17. Trained to be a counselor but never moved forward with the plan.



Sunset At Washawtee 

It seems like no matter how stressful things are, this is the one place I know I can be reminded of God’s omnipotence, power, grace and mercy. It is kind of like stepping into another world. The smell the view the memories all place me in a receptive, humbling submissive heart to the Lord Jesus.  

 My niece’s sense of humor is so cool!! Jenna gave us her version of what sex is, we call it the Loony Tunes version of he birds and the bees as the description reminds us of a cartoonish version of “S. E. X.” I can’t tell you exactly what she said but believe me it had me practically rolling on the floor!

 Allie was just hilarious in conversation she amazes me with her view of the world. She loves camping and nature. We talk a lot about things she finds outside. She and Jenna both enjoy learning about the out of doors and as anyone who knows me well knows I love to talk about that. These girls are smart and they know their stuff.     

 Katie…well Katie’s mind works uniquely and some of the things she comes up with are, hmmm, lets just say interesting. She had me laughing so hard two or three times on Saturday night I was crying! Last year we were informed by Katie that every city has a big dipper and that there are 7 stars in the Milky Way.  Daddy Longlegs are now Deadly Long legs. She also introduced herself as Jovy Bonbondish…I have no clue where that came from.     

 We used to sing some fairly morbid songs at Girl Scout camp. I know some of my friends may think it is wrong to sing about hearses, eating worms, planting watermelon seeds on your grave and let the juice soak through, and other gross out songs. We had a song called “Suffocation” that Jenna and my Lindsay love to sing. I think it is fun and do not see anything wrong with it. There in lies the conundrum, I love teaching the songs because the kids think it is hilarious but sometimes moms and dads don’t see the humor so I kind of limit it to relatives and kids of close friends. Of course we sing Jesus songs and harmless fun songs too but the kids seem to lean towards the gross songs. My sisters are cautiously accepting. J “A little mischief now and then is relished by the wisest men”…Willy Wonka

Suffocation:

 Suffocation, we like suffocation.

Suffocation a game we like to play.

First you take a rubber hose

Then you stick it up your nose

Turn it on

Now your gone, weeeeeeeeee 

Yeah I know, there are other verses of course; but you get the idea.

 It is wonderful to pass the memories of Camp Washawtee to the next generation even though it is a little different for them; the love of the WaShawtee experience is still there.

 Lindsay wants to have her wedding there next June. I had nothing to do with that plan; it is all Lindsay’s idea…gotta love it!

I am going to a WaShawtee reunion this coming Sunday, I am soooo excited!! :)

God Bless you all and thank you for reading!!

    

Morphine the Floating Man and the Ghost Dog

Yep, it's me and it has been awhile. There is so much to share that it is going to take much longer than one posting to fit it all in so I am just going to let God guide me. Sounds like fun, huh?

This is the first time in a long time I have felt the urge or compulsion to write a blog. Seriously, I had the hardest time even thinking of what to write. I tried many times but my heart just wasn't in it. I think it must of been some of my meds because after switching me to a different med the desire started to build, and well, here I am.

As most of you know I have been ill from about August of last year till now. I had my spleen removed in February, yadda, yadda, yadda I am getting better. I am so thankful to my family, friends and church for the prayer support and gifts. I know that God is working through my doctors hands as well and I am extremely thankful for their care and concern for my well being - even if I could eat only ice chips for five days...all is forgiven. I did get Popsicles after all.

 After surgery, I was flying pretty high on morphine (gotta love that magic button) . I was enjoying the fact that my dog Shy Shy was with me curled up in the chair across the room and the man floating by the clock was waving at me. I was just as amused by the pretty colors I was seeing. Of course Shy wasn't there and I am pretty sure the floating guy wasn't  real.

Apparently, my kids got a few good laughs. I guess I talked to myself a lot and once threw a stuffed monkey at Lindsay because she took sides with the physical therapist lady that was trying to get me up for a walk...Guess I didn't want to go. I also told everyone that I had head lice and to make sure they treated their hair when they got home. I didn't have lice of course but my head must have been itching. All I remember is the floating guy, my dog and the colors. I guess I do remember arguing with a nurse over what day it was...everyday was the 23rd to me and this was valentines day week. Don't know why I had the 23rd stuck in my head but I insisted, Oh well.

After the surgery my kidney's began to fail and the Dr.s were concerned.  Anyway, my numbers came down after three days of people lifting me up in prayer and overnight my numbers were where they should be. The Dr.'s were amazed at how quickly the healing came.  I thanked them for all their hard work and shared with them that our God is amazing!

Also, since Feb. 10th I have lost 32 pounds! I am kind of wavering up and down 4 pounds but I will get there. I haven't had much of an appetite since the surgery. I didn't eat for 5 days so I am guessing my tummy shrunk as they say so it is a good head start for me. I am simply portioning and using info I received from Metabolic Research Center. It got pretty expensive there and I wasn't able to keep up with the cost. The plan works though so, if you can do it, I recommend it.

Well, this is a start. I am glad to be writing again and I hope you like this and all that is coming.


May the Lord bless you and keep you,

Niecie

Waiting While the Weightloss Waits

Good Morning, afternoon, or evening depending on when you read this.

As you know, if you have been reading my blog, my life has been quite...let's say, interesting shall we? We are still in the hotel but have been upgraded to a one bedroom suite. It is so nice just to have space and a bigger place. We now have a living room, a bigger kitchen area and a separate bed room which Bob really needed. He has to be at work at 4:00 am so he goes to bed at 8:00 or 9:00 and in our old room there was no place for me to go in the evening and going to sleep that early was next to impossible...I tried. Anyway, Bob had a hard time sleeping with me around no matter how quiet I was. This room we are in now feels more like a home and Bob can go to bed and close the door. Hopefully, he will feel better and be more energetic. I love my husband soooo much! He is awesome, so patient, so helpful and loving. 31 years and counting.


Let's talk about weight for a few minutes. I have been gaining and losing 12 pounds for the last couple of months. I did go through a time just being nauseated by food. It was so cool. I am still doing that occasionally when I run a fever. Yep, still running fevers.

Once again I am running into those who are ignorant of the ordeal of being obese. So many think that you just eat less and exercise more and you know what? For the regular person that just needs to lose 10 or 15 pounds that is a true statement in most cases. I  don't know about you but I start to feel guilty again thinking about what a lousy person I am because I can not follow through with this seemingly simple plan..."here I go again Lord, as usual I have failed."  "What's the use" and the pattern continues with you covering your true you in layers of food. We set ourselves up to fail the minute we set the goals we know we can not keep. Small goals such as just getting through the day or sometimes even the hour.

It is not that we do not desire deeply - because we do - to do the right thing it is simply that we do not have the knowledge we  need to accomplish with what we must get from our creator.

About a month ago I talked about the scripture in Deuteronomy 30:19 about God presenting to us life and death with the Lord telling us to choose life. Wow, it sounds like maybe that is the first step in a weight loss life style, to choose life. I know it is a step that I have taken and every day there are choices to make. Sometime these choices are hard and I don't always make the right one. Sometimes I seldom make the right one. I let emotional issues dominate.

As I have mentioned before in one of my previous post the Doc's say I am bipolar and can enter into some deep "not caring moods". This is  not an excuse for not choosing life but it is a reason. When I am in these down moods it can make total sense for me to pig out because I just don't care or just want to give up. I have to realize what is real and what is not and "talk myself down" from the ledge - so to speak.

Now, I know you do not have to be bipolar to have these experiences yourselves. I know that many of you struggle with these things sometimes daily. I am right there with you and I know how hopeless and helpless you sometimes feel. My heart knows the pain and tears that come when the frustration of negative decisions hits and the guilt and gut - wrenching reality hits when you stand on the scale. Once again you feel like a failure...I am about to say something you have heard before but does very little good coming from me. Don't stop there! Tomorrow will come and a new day will bring new opportunities. "You are not a failure. You are not unloved. You do not have to feel the guilt that makes you feel like less of a person and unworthy of love. Look around, there are many that the Lord has put in your life that love you." I am one. This is no small thing but it is worth the ride.

I can not tell you what to do but when I am failing in my eating habits and I feel the guilt, the shame and the hopelessness...I start again the next day. It has brought results and I have lost over 54 pounds in 6 months. It could have been more if I would have been dilegent. I have not always practiced what I preached and the struggle goes on. But I have lost 54 pounds! Start over everyday knowing that the LOVE OF GOD remains and He will not depart from you.

I have more good news for you...Above all GOD LOVES YOU. He will NOT stop loving you:
1. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we^[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we^[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we^[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
 ⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
 ⁹ Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Thank you again for reading my blog. Thank you to for those who have commented on facebook because of the difficulty of leaving a comment on my post. Thank you for the encouragement and love you have shared with me.

Thank you for bringing us all together in this time of desiring to do what is right.  Lord bless all of those who read this blog and give ministry to those who glean something from the words I have shared. Give hope oh Lord where there is none and show your love to those who need to feel you near. Give them signs and wonders, a speedy loss of weight but Lord mostly bring them through this wilderness with knowledge and the wisdom of your word. Thank you that you belong to us and we belong to you despite what we think. In Jesus name ~ AMEN

 

Shepards are Awesome...

Ok so, once again it has been a while. No excuses, I simply didn't feel much like blogging...

Over the last few weeks we have - once again had some really weird things happen. I just got out last Monday after spending a week in the hospital with a cellulitis infection and now I get to give myself these really cool IV balls...seriously they are little golden Christmas-ish looking ball that I plug into my picc line in my artery until the ball looks like an apple core. It has a heavy plastic thing around it that makes it look like a dead bird or an airplane when it is empty. I plug it into a line and my artery sucks the med out. Pretty cool, huh? Huh?

Seriously though, I gained a total of 15 pounds while in the hospital. I gained mega water weight though in my leg, it was huge, not kidding. It was almost 3 times as big as my other leg at one point. Not to mention that I did nothing but sleep and eat for a week. By the end of the week though I lost all desire for food. I would take three bites of something and be nauseated at the thought of food I have finally reached my first goal of after five years weighing under 400 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!! I like this nausea thing.
I lost all of the weight and more Wooooooo Hooooo! Now that's what I am talking about!
I have also witnessed to half a dozen nurses and  two doctors.

God must have given me a ministry to those in the medical field I can't seem to get away from them asking me direct questions about my faith. Not always of course but enough to keep me interested and prepared for the possibility when I go to an appointment. Plus, God just reminds me of scriptures and in a couple of cases has given me scriptures, words of knowledge and wisdom. It is really cool.
The ironic part about this is that I have always thought of myself as stupid, slow and pretty much useless. Therefore I have felt VERY intimidated by highly educated people and even people in general. Mostly due to some dark areas of my past.  I am still a little nervous but through the years the Lord has assured me that I am not stupid. He has also given me wisdom. God is AMAZING!

It kinda reminds me of David. I used to sing this song at church. It was "Shepard Boy" by Ray bolts. When I first began singing this song I could feel the Lord telling me gently that I was His Shepard Girl.
I of course thought that was ridiculous and that I was being proud and well, stupid. Then I kept getting prophesies of being Gods special servant or some even said Shepard. I also received many prophecies of being a "force to be reckoned with" and a "Warrior clad in diamond armour". Yeah, I know, right?

I hope I am not sounding pompous or puffed up. I am truly in awe and wonderment that the Lord is using me this way and I give ALL the GLORY to HIM. I can guarantee I have nothing to do with this except show up and even that is God most of the time. I believe all of us are "Shepard's" of one type or another

Here is the song that so many times has brought me to tears. Please, please, please listen to it and know it is not just me that this song is for:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSIW0bAxOws&feature=player_detailpage


PS: WE ARE STILL IN THE HOTEL (SEVEN WEEKS NOW) AND THEY HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED ON OUR HOUSE. THEY SAY WE WILL BE HERE FOR ANOTHER SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS. WE WOULD APPRECIATE PRAYER FOR WISDOM, DIRECTION AND FOR THE WORK TO COMMENCE...THANK YOU SO MUCH...BE BLESSED.

Hunting Wabbits and finding Mud Holes

Things have been exciting around here! I have been walking my dog around the hotel and letting her run in the field next door which has been fine. She always comes back when I call - always. Well, she found a rabbit and took off after it. Bob I called and called and nothing. So I thought 'hey, why don't I drive to Locust St. in my power chair  and get Shy on the other side'? It SEEMED like a good idea at the time. Anyway, I'm rolling along calling for Shy and couldn't find her. So, I decided to head home and see if she came back. I called Lindsay and she said Shy was back.

I was heading down a sidewalk toward Abbott Drive (the airport road). The sidewalk ended so I thought I would just try to ride in the grass until I could get to a driveway not too far up. The sidewalk had a pretty good drop of and mud. I didn't see the mud and got stuck. I had to get up and push my chair out which is very difficult and painful for me to do but I did it. Wait, it gets better. I went back down the sidewalk and drove in the road. I had mud on my feet and on the wheels of my chair. I saw a puddle of water and thought 'maybe if I drive through the water it would clean my tires off and maybe get the excess mud from between my toes. It SEEMED like a good idea at the time.

There was a drop off with a large hole and at the bottom of the hole was more mud. My chair fell off the road into the hole and my chair was leaning to the right. I though I would get out of my chair to push. That is when I found the mud. My foot got stuck in the mud and I fell - in the mud. I tried to stand up and push my chair out but no luck. My right hip, which I was already having trouble with, was much worse and my right leg twisted and I think I pulled something cause it really hurts. Anyway, Two cars stopped. They were so nice and so helpful and very nice. Two men got my chair out and the girl with one of the guys helped me get back into my chair. One of the drivers gave me a towel and the girl helped clean me up a little. I thanked them and told them I was ok now and that I was staying close by and they left. I did see one of them drive by a couple of times on my way back to the hotel. Though I was feeling rather humbled by then. I was impressed and thanking God for the rescue.

When I got home I showered and Bob cleaned up my chair. My hip and leg are pretty messed up but I am so thankful and learned that there are some people out there that are willing to help. Once again God came through and sent someone to the rescue - GOD IS GOOD!!!!

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Thank you LORD for sending help when I needed it! Thank you for watching over me and caring for me even over the small things.


Bless those wonderful people who stopped to help. Reward them for their willingness to help others and for their concern that went beyond just getting me out of the mud. Bless those too that drove by instead of stopping that they may witness your hand working in their lives in mercy and grace. Bring them to and everlasting relationship with you...In JESUS name ~ AMEN

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"He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me".  Psalm 18:19 

Silly Walks and Wilderness Talks

 Hi friends!! I have missed you all. So much has happened and I have so much to say so get the coffee, sit back and prepare for the venting of the "crazy weighing in lady".
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So many of you have told me how much you all like this blog and how you can relate to the contents. I know I say this a lot but I just can't get over the fact that so many people read this blog - even people I do not know! I have had 1333 hits on this sight...1333!!  That is probably not a lot in Blog World but in Niecie World it is pretty cool. Well, I guess I have stumbled onto something... :) So I will submit to my  Lord and my peeps and continue this Journal / Journey with y'all. ;-p.


Well through the weight loss part of this "chapter" in my life I have lost 50 lbs. I probably would have lost 60 to 70 if I would have stayed true to myself. On the other hand I have lost 50#...I'll take it! My clothes are finally starting to get too big - technically I guess it is me who is getting smaller. Don't think clothes grow. Okay, yeah, maybe the stretchy ones but you get my meaning...hmmmm, I am picturing those sponges that grow into different shapes when you put them in water. Someone should invent clothes like that...What was I talking about again? Oh yeah, when we were in Texas and I swam or rather waded and sat in the gulf I noticed my swim suit started to fall off. Remember Monty Python's Flying Circus and the "Ministry of Silly Walks?" That was me limping to the car pulling things up, pushing things down and stuffing things back in. All while trying to breath and walk upright. I am sure people on the beach were turning their head to laugh. I would have...this was funny, I don't care who you are. See  http://youtu.be/IqhlQfXUk7w


I don't know how many of you know it but lately our family has been going through some rather odd circumstances. I found the perfect word to describe our lives of late - Tumultuous: agitated, clamorous,  excited, fierce, hectic, unrestrained, turbulent, vociferous (my new word of the month)..."He was vociferous in his argument". Anyway, I think you get the picture.

We are currently living in a hotel because while Bob and his friend from work were fixing our roof it rained vociferously and the roof had not yet been covered. So, yadda, yadda, yadda the ceiling in our kitchen, laundry room, and the girls bedrooms crashed to the floor. It is pretty crazy and trying to keep up with everything is hard. We have a Studio Sweet with a stove top, microwave and refrigerator. People from my church and family have been very helpful with gift certificates, bringing meals etc... The whole experience has been very eye opening. God has been blessing us left and right. It seems that when there is a need God fills it. He is so good.It is hard but the Lord will see us through.

We found out today that we had hail damage to our roof and the siding of our garage. There could be more we just looked quickly because we were in a hurry. Also, I was in the hospital to receive treatment for a staff infection and an injury to my hip making it nearly impossible to stand up plus I have to go in to have my spleen and groin lymph node removed and biopsied.

You really just have to laugh at this point - we do a lot. God is blessing us through the trials. People have given us money, gift certificates, and have cooked meals. Every time there has been a need the Lord has provided through His bride. Right now I am remembering how God supplied food to his people in the desert. They were in the desert but God supplied their needs. Elijah was in the wilderness and the Lord sent ravens to feed him with bread and meat. In both cases the people involved were in the wilderness. In one instance the Lord had mercy on His people though they were wining and complaining while with Elijah, he was obeying the Lords direction. I know I've written about living in the wilderness in a couple of my post
but well, that's where I am right now so I guess that is what you are going to hear about.

In these experiences I have drawn closer to the Lord which was my and prayer for the past three years. I am gaining back some ground, so to speak, in my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. I am once again feeling His presence, anxious to spend time with him. The Lord spoke something into my heart that He had said to me once before. I was complaining about how I don't see Corrin very often because of her job and her family. I complained that I hadn't seen her for a couple weeks and God said, "Sometimes I go for Months without hearing from you. I miss you too". OUCH!  Of course I was a puddle after that. Repenting to and worshiping Him.

Gotta go for now but I have a lot more to say so be ready! Thank you again for all the encouragements and well wishes. They mean more than you know. And thanks for being patient with me as well.

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Lord Thank you for my friends and family that you have given me. Thank you too for those who have brought us food or finances always at just the right time. You are so merciful to us and your grace knows no bounds. Thank you too Lord for the blessings of the wilderness that bring ever closer to you. We know that when times get hard it would be so much easier to give it all to you. You will always take care of your children.  Teach us to be quick to let go of the things we have no control over and that build walls between us and you Jesus. You are our shelter, our rock, our healer and provider. Seal these things in our hearts that we may remain steadfast and unshaken.
In JESUS name...AMEN!
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Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever.
They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever;
 their horn will be lifted high in honor.
 The wicked will see and be vexed, they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
  the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.     ~ Psalm 112:6-10