ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

I've been thinking a lot about this whole ALS Ice Bucket Challenge this weekend as I was nominated by 2 friends. I've seen lots of friends and family posting videos of themselves dumping water on their heads over the last few weeks and I've read several articles other friends have posted saying why they won't participate.

I struggle when I read articles that say that we shouldn't do the challenge because we are wasting water when the majority of the world doesn't have access to clean water. In reality we waste considerably more water every day when brushing our teeth or taking a bath. If you visit your local pool you are swimming in 40,000+ gallons of water. I mean I could make the argument that eating meat is actually contributing to lack of water globally as the heaviest water usage is for animals we raise for meat. Not to mention that that the amount of grain produced globally is enough to feed to the world twice over, but 70% of grain is fed to livestock. Who eats that meat? Let me assure you the same people that are lacking clean water are also lacking food. 

I've also struggled reading articles that say that we shouldn't support ALS research as they support abortion yet they fail to acknowledge that the majority of embryonic stem cell research comes from IVF eggs that are being discarded. I suppose solely discussing abortion tugs at the heart strings more than discussing IVF eggs. Truly if we recognize that IVF eggs are also considered life it becomes a much bigger social issue. An issue that many have not thought about before. I'm not sure I've ever heard the church compare IVF eggs to abortion, yet if you believe that life occurs at the moment of conception what is the difference? Truly IVF is just more socially accepted in Christian circles than abortion. 

Please don't read this me as not valuing human life because I most certainly do. I believe that every life is sacred and created by God. I believe the Word when it says God knew us before He formed us in the womb. My frustration with all of this isn't to debate the sanctity of life, it is a frustration with an American lifestyle at the expense of others on a daily basis, it is just easier to take a stance when it doesn't cost us a convenience we have grown so much to love.  

It means that I am just as guilty if I share these articles from my iPhone or iPad that was created at the expense of someone else's life. Did you know people were committing suicide because their lives were so bad and work conditions so horrific working in factories making these Apple products that death was a better alternative? Some people have even died after being forced to work 30+ hours straight just to get the new product out fast enough because the demand is so great.  

I could even go as far as to make the argument that no Christian should watch or participate in sports, as large scale events such as the Super Bowl draw in Sex Trafficking.  If we are talking about the sanctity of life if only one person is violated it is a problem and as Christians we should value that life.  

Walt Disney? Starbucks? Pepsi? Nestle? Coke? Hobby Lobby? Vaccinations? This list could go on and could include so much more.  And I'll be willing to bet you don't know why I listed all of these...and if you don't you are like millions of others who go through life with blinders on because we are a comfortable people.   Being comfortable is ok until it takes away dependence on God and comes at the cost the comfort, or in some cases the life of, a brother or sister.

I don't blog this because I have the answers or out of judgement, I'm just as guilty as the next, I blog this because the world we live in is sinful and fallen.  Working in social services for the last 2.5 years has opened my eyes to so many social injustices right here in my own community.  It is overwhelming for me to navigate it all...but it is assuring for me to know that my Jesus has overcome the world.

Good Girlfriends

Good girlfriends are hard to find.  As I sat having coffee with one of my good girlfriends this morning God reminded me that we are not meant to journey this road alone, but we also don't have to journey this road with a group the size of a football team.  Proverbs 18:24 says, A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. 

When I was young I found value in the size of my friend circle, in this season of life I am finding value in a few close good girlfriends.  Girlfriends that I can be real with and not worry that what we shared over a cup of coffee will become the latest gossip.  Girlfriends who cry with me, laugh me and don't judge me or compare.  Girlfriends who genuinely care about my well being and the well being of my family.

In scriptures we read about Job who faced great trial and tribulation.  Do you know that Job was comforted by good friends?  Job 2:11-13, Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him. And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.    

They sat with him 7 days and 7 nights and spoke nothing.  Do you have a friend like that?  A friend who is content with just sitting with you and not speaking.  Who waits for you to share your hurt and pain?  And if you can't speak or don't want to share the details is just there?  A friend that you can openly share without fear of judgement or becoming the local gossip?

In the day of Facebook and Twitter we can be connected to many but not truly connected to any.  I challenge you to meet regularly with a few good girlfriends, it is better for your soul than you may realize. 

I quit cleaning

If you know me today you would say that there is no way I will ever quit cleaning.  I clean compulsively....to the point it's not healthy.  Ironically had you known me 15 years ago you would've laughed if someone said that I would someday clean compulsively.  

I think it started when my 3rd son, Tannin, was born.  He came into this world on a cold day in December, 5 weeks early.  He weighed 5lbs 5oz and barely made a sound.  Within hours of being born it was obvious that he was struggling to breathe so he was Life Flighted to the NICU in Peoria.  His lungs weren't quite ready to breathe on their own so with the help of surfactant and a CPAP he lived in an incubator for the first 2 weeks of his life.

If you've never been in a NICU then you've never experienced sterility.  It was cold and flu season so they were extra vigilant about making sure that we scrubbed before entering and wearing masks at the sign of anything unusual.  Our Dr's, while very kind, made me germ paranoid.

When he was finally able to come home I had scrubbed our house from top to bottom.  I was unrealistically trying to maintain the sterile environment he had lived in.  Our friends dubbed me the snot police.  If you had any hint of a cold you weren't allowed in and we didn't take him out.  We lived in a bubble.

It was during this season of life that cleaning became an obsession.  My oldest son drew a picture of me cleaning for his 1st grade Mother's Day program, while other kids drew pictures of their mom's playing baseball or baking cookies with them.  That broke my heart but I didn't know how to change this aspect of my life.

When you live in a house with 4 kids and 3 dogs it is almost impossible to keep a house clean to the satisfaction of someone with an obsession.  We clean daily; vacuum, dust, dishes, windows. I fine tooth the kids room before we can go do anything, which sadly means we don't do stuff many days.

Since I've been back from Mississippi I've decided to make some changes in my life and this is one of them.  While we won't live in filth you don't need to be able to eat off my floors.  So if you stop in to see me and it looks like somebody licked my patio door please don't comment on it, just smile and know that I'm choosing to spend more time with my family and patio door can wait.

As a saying that hangs in my dear friends kitchen says...

Seasons

I recently read something written by Beth Moore that said "God places a huge premium on living, breathing faith.  In fact, the more you search the Scriptures, the more you discover that nothing is more important to God than our faith.  But God is not the only one who puts a high priority on this issue of our faith.  Satan also has no greater focus in a single one of our lives.  Though he is no match for God, he is powerful and dangerous foe of believing man and woman.  They both know faith works, we need to know it too."

What is faith?  According to dictionary.com it is confidence or trust in a person or thing.  How much do we trust God?  In our relationships, with our children, with our finances, with our health?  It's much easier to sit in a room full of believers praising and worshiping and saying how much faith we have than to put it into action during times of trial.

Last night I was thinking about how often we view our circumstances as measure of our favor with God.  If my life is going well and is relatively pain free it is easy for me and others to say God is good, He is providing and caring for us.  But when chaos strikes we start to question His presence or His goodness.  I think we would all agree that Jesus was in favor with God.  But stop and consider the account of His baptism.  In Matthew 3 we are told that Jesus goes to John the Baptist to be baptized and at the moment He came up out of the water heaven was opened and He saw the Spirit of the God descending like a dove and settling on Him while a voice from heaven said "This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased."

Do you know what happens immediately after that?  Jesus is lead by the Spirit to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  Scripture tells us that Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and nights and the first thing Satan says if you are really the Son of God turn these stones to bread.  I would imagine that the thought of bread after 40 days of nothing was really tempting to Jesus.  I can hear Satan now...Is this how God treats those He loves and is well pleased with, He sends them into the wilderness with no food...shouldn't He be throwing you a banquet beloved Son?  Well Satan goes on and tempts Jesus further finally offering Him a way to escape the cross if He just bowed down for a moment to Satan.  Jesus was hungry, tired and the idea of the cross had to be frighting.  But He is faithful and true to His calling.  His faith says that despite the current circumstance greater things are coming.

Has that ever happened in your life?  You faithfully serve God and then the notice comes that your job has been eliminated, your child has terminal cancer, your spouse doesn't love you anymore, your friends abandoned you?  Faith is much harder to live out in those situations than when we are coming up out of the baptismal waters.  When we are coming out of a great season of walking close with God, Satan knows that it is time to attack and plant those seeds of doubt.  Is this really what God does to those He loves?  Does He allow them to go into the wilderness of cancer or financial crisis or loneliness?  He will refine you in the wilderness if you allow Him to. 

Next time you find yourself in a wilderness remember that God hasn't moved, He is right where He has always been.  It's one thing to know He is God, it is another to live like He is God.  Where have you placed your faith?  

He is faithful

A few years ago Andy and I went through Dave Ramsey's Financial class and have worked very hard at becoming debt free.  We felt like God was calling us to things but we had some debt that was holding us back.

At the time we had just recently purchased a brand new 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan (which I loved by the way).  The payments weren't high, we weren't behind on them and they weren't killing us each month but we felt like God said very clearly, car payments aren't wise.  So we went to some dealer's to see if we could get out of the payment.  Not going to happen they told us.  Frustrated we came home and after a week of praying decided that if God wanted us to get rid of our van he would sell it.  We listed it on Craigslist that night with an asking price that would pay off our loan and leave us enough to go pay cash for another vehicle.  The next morning I got an email from a lady wanting to come that afternoon and see it.  Two days later she bought it for our asking price.  God sold my van!

Here we are a little over 2 years later and we haven't had a car payment since and never plan to again.  We have been able to live debt free and it is amazing.  We are now feeling like God is saying you know that mortgage, let's get rid of it.  I guess I always thought that a 30 year mortgage is something everyone has to have.  That you buy your home and 30 years later you pay it off, if you don't end up refinancing and borrowing against your equity at some point.  

Well in order for us to chip away at our mortgage it would require either Andy or I to take a part time job.  We both applied at various places and hadn't heard much until a few weeks ago.  I got a phone call from the Home Sweet Home Mission asking if I would be interested in interviewing for their part time Residential Associate position.  I was ecstatic and nervous all at the same time.  This is my dream job and yet I have not worked in over 8 years.  To say the least I am slightly out of shape in the work force realm.  I came home feeling like the interview went well and it must have because they called and offered me the job which I gladly accepted.  

The crazy apart about this is that this job is not only an answer to financial prayer but also to a heart prayer.  Prior to feeling like God was calling me to be a stay at home mom I was going to school to be a social worker.  I have always had a heart and passion for people.   I was devastated when that door was closed.  Well like so many other things that I don't know God has shown me that He didn't completely close that door, it just looks different than what my plan was.

Isaiah 55:8-9 comes to mind..."My thoughts are not like your thoughts.  And your ways are not like my ways," announces the Lord.  "The heavens are higher than the earth.  And my ways are higher than your ways.  My thoughts are higher than your thoughts."  I mean how many times are we sure we know what is best.  We are created in His image, we are not created as Him.  What kind of a God would He be if He thought like you and me?  My life works best when I place it in His hands and allow Him to use me as He desires.  It gets messed up when I inject what I think would work best.

So as I go to work tonight I'm going in with the mindset that this is right where He wants me and He has thoughts and ways that are so far above mine and for good reason, He alone is God.  It doesn't mean that His way is always what I would consider easy or pleasurable but I know it is for good for He promised me that in Jeremiah 29:11-14.  "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

God will not give you more than you can handle???

The past few days I have had a lot of people tell me not to worry that God will not give us more than we can handle.  I know personally I've said this in the past to people going through a difficult time without really thinking about the scriptural basis.  So here are my thoughts after looking into it...

From what I can tell this phrase most likely originates from the following verse:  

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.  (1 Corinthians 10:13)

This verse is actually talking about temptation to sin not hard things you go through.  So while I can see how some have used this verse I think we have taken it out of context if that is the basis for this comment.  I also can't find anywhere in the Bible that says God gives us hard things like child abuse or brain injuries because He thinks we can handle them.  And basically that is what we are telling people with this comment.  

I have however found countless scriptures that talk about difficult times and strength and protection during those times.

My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. (Exodus 33:14)


It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. (Deuteronomy 31:8)


The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. (Deuteronomy 33:27)


The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. (Psalm 9:9-10)


I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 16:8)


The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident. (Psalm 27: 1, 3)


You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. (Psalm 32:7-8)


I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4)


And I really could keep going for a very long time with these scriptures.

So next time I am presented the temptation to tell someone that God will not give them more than they can handle I think I will rephrase it to say : "God will be there to give you strength and protection during this very difficult journey".  

Waiting Upon the LORD

Two weeks ago today we were just getting home from Drew's sleep study.  Little did we know that the test would reveal possible seizures, not the sleep apnea we suspected.  The Doctor was taking boards so it took awhile to get the sleep study read, but they finally called last Friday and said the EEG portion of the study was abnormal and they wanted to know if we could go for an EEG on Monday.  So we kept Drew up until midnight on Sunday and got him up at 4 am yesterday so he would be tired for his test on at 10 am.  Needless to say he wasn't near as tired as I was.  =)  Results from the EEG are already back and they are referring us to Peoria to see a Pediatric Neurologist.  

In light of all these test results I have been going back over all the Doctor reports and notes from when Drew was admitted for SBS as an infant.  It is crazy how reading something can take you right back to the moment.  The most incredible part of all has been how faithful God has been.  Drew has surpassed the Doctor's expectations of his outcome in light of the injuries.  Where Drew is today is a true miracle from God.  God has been so remarkable in placing people in my life at just the right moment and He has brought me such peace and healing.

His timing is always perfect.  Currently I am taking a Hebrew class.  A few weeks ago we were talking about the scripture Isaiah 40:31- But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.  We learned that "wait" in Hebrew here means to twist or bind.  So when we twist our weakness around God's strength we become unbreakable.  How incredible to know that regardless of the storm to hit our lives if we are twisted with God we will not break!!  I pray that you are "waiting" on the LORD so that you will mount up with wings as eagles!!