Food for Thought...

I know it has been a long time.

There is no way I can catch up so I'm starting where I am and moving forward.

I wanted to share a little from my journal this morning.

I have kept a journal on and off since I became a Christian 11 years ago.

I can not express to you how God has blessed me when I record how He is speaking to me in a journal.

God makes His Word and His Will so crystal clear to me when I journal.

Even when I think I have thought through an issue or Scripture and have it all worked out, when I put it in writing, He really connects the dots and never fails to take my understanding deeper.

I come away more amazed and humbled by Him.

I have clear direction and discernment about how I am to live my life through Him.

I come away convicted... and that's my favorite part.

I love, Love, LOVE conviction.

It lets me know I'm not alright.

It reminds me I need a Savior and that Jesus is there for me.

He walks with me and changes me.

He holds the mirror up for me to see just how broken I am.

He sets the standard and shows me I can't meet the standard alone but He can and He's willing to do it with me... if only I'll let Him.

I just love that!

So, anyway.

I thought I'd share a little bit from my journal entry this morning.

Just food for thought...

Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15

I have wondered lately if I took the time to pray over every bite I put in my mouth, if I would eat half the stuff I eat?

I wonder if I would make some of the choices I make and still ask God to bless it- knowing there is no nourishment in that food?

I wonder- can I, in good conscience, ask God to bless my sin of gluttony?

As I read how Jesus took 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and fed over 5,000 people, these words stand out:

"and they ate until they were satisfied."

Satisfied.

How often do I look at healthy choices and bypass them thinking it won't satisfy my cravings?

How often have I looked at a smaller portion and known ahead of time I would not leave the table full?

I wonder if I changed my prayer from the same ol',

"Please bless this food"

to a heartfelt,

"Lord, I trust you to satisfy me"-

I wonder what kind of changes I might see.

I wonder.

The Child of Firsts

I never had a baby born with a broken collar bone.

I never had a baby with jaundice and a bilirubin count that almost sent her back to the hospital days after we had been released.

I never had a baby that spit up and occasionally vomit according to what I ate.

I never had a baby not sleep and have a diaper that smelled of sour milk because I had a glass of milk the night before.

I never had a baby have an all out allergic reaction to something she ate the first time she ate it.

Until Sweet Pea.

The Child of Firsts.

Today was the first time she had a few bites of egg.

Today was the first time I experienced watching a child's face turn fire red, welt up, eyes swell, welts form on the lips and around the mouth... you get the picture.

Can you say

P*A*N*I*C???

I called my neighbor, Deann... a nurse (PRAISE GOD!!!).

Then I called the doctor's office.

There were no signs of labored breathing so I knew it was not time for 911... yet.

But when I saw those welts forming on her lips, I was just waiting. I just knew we were moments away from red and blue flashing lights headed down our street.

Deann called the pharmacy and found out how much Benadryl to give Sweet Pea.

Oh, did I mention my doctors office told me they had to take a message and send it back to the nurse and she would have to call me back??? Yea, more on that later.

So, 3 hours and 1/2 tsp. of Benadryl later, she is sleeping peacefully in her bed... a little drunk but no welts or rash.

Me... I feel like I need to go puke. And don't say anything cross to me... I'll cry. I promise. That lump is just sitting there waiting to be released.

I am so thankful that God placed this hands on, don't wait to act friend/nurse/neighbor in my life. And that she was home. And that she dropped everything to help. And that she loves us.

I am so thankful that although everyone in our family got the flu shot, I declined when the doctor offered to give it to Sweet Pea at her 6 month check up. I wavered. A lot. But something in me (thank you Holy Spirit) said, "No. Not this time."

I am so thankful we did not have red and blue flashing lights headed down our street today.

I am so thankful that I hear her playing in her bed, waking from her nap.

I am so thankful her skin is back to that smooth, creamy white.

The doctor's office???

The nurse called an hour and a half later.

I told her about my neighbor, the Hero, and that now Sweet Pea was fine. After all, that was an hour and a half ago that I had called.

She suggested I hold off on giving Sweet Pea eggs for a while.

Yep.

That's what she said.

YA THINK??????

I love my doctor and I've never once had a reason to complain about their office.

But it is a big office with a lot of doctors, a lot of nurses, and A LOT of patients.

Even still, I'm pretty sure my doctor would not be happy with how poorly this minor medical emergency was handled.

I'm no idiot.

I know if it is a true emergency, to call 911.

There was no labored breathing so at that point, no need for 911.

But I did need medical advice... promptly... before the situation progressed and I did have to use 911.

Is that not what my doctor's office is there for?

I will make sure my doctor is fully aware of this situation at our next appointment.

Now, what does this all mean, practically speaking.

It means

NO EGGS.

NONE.

Not scrambled. Not fried. Not in muffins or breads or pancakes. Not in it's-my-first-birthday-cakes.

NONE.

It also means that if you have recently eaten, cooked, or touched an egg,

Don't touch my baby.

Seriously.

Until she is older (say 90, 91??) and until we know more, we can't take any chances.

God is good and I'm thanking Him today for His blessings and care. Praise Him with me.

Reading Material...

Like

I

need to be reading

THIS

WHY

You ask, am I on a posting frenzy after being A-WOL for so long?

Didn't you know???

I've been blogging all along.

Only I haven't taken the time to post.

There is so much that goes undone around here I could not justify taking the time to post.

I mean, there is always laundry that needs to be washed, folded, or put away.

There is always a bathroom that needs to be cleaned.

There is always a need to clean the floors... especially now that Sweet Pea goes wherever she darn well pleases!

And dust... ALWAYS!

I guess in reality, it was just another thing on my

"Things I am procrastinating about doing even though I'll feel better if I just do them"

List.

So, I jumped in and got some things marked off that list

And I felt better

So I blogged

And felt better

So now

I'm blogging

Again.

Will I blog tomorrow?

I dunno.

Next week?

Not sure.

Next month?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

But until then, I'll leave you with this...

Hgirl, who hates, Hates, HATES having her hair brushed

Has asked me 3 times today

To do the "fry thing" to her hair.

It took me a minute the first time she asked....

"Oh!

Do you mean a french braid?"

(You know, french fry/french braid...)

Eyes all a-glow, smiling ear to ear...

"Yes, Mommy! That's it! I want to look beautiful for Daddy*!"

Oh, to be able to freeze time....

*Daddy has been hunting all weekend and although we are all ready for him to be home, she is especially missing the most important man in her life! So sweet!

Don't kill me but...

I just couldn't let these go unpublished!

I know, I know, I know.

Think happy thoughts...

Dorothy and Toto

A Black Widow Spider

Fun at the Fall Fest, 10-26-08.

Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts................

Public Service Announcement

This is

the Jack LaLanne Power Juicer.

I know you all have seen the infomercial and have thought at least once that this was a good idea.

Let me tell you what I learned after I thought it was a good idea.

It boasts of juicing fruits and veggies without peeling or cutting anything.

It boasts of easy clean up.

It boasts of clean operation.

I learned first hand...

It's boasting is all a matter of perspective.

No peeling or cutting...

The fine print says it does juice most fruits and veggies without peeling or cutting... except citrus fruits. Apparently, the peel makes the juice bitter. Hmmmm...

Easy clean up....

Only if you perceive easy as using a special tool to disassemble the machine and rinse 6 different pieces and then use the tool to reassemble... EVERY TIME YOU USE THE MACHINE!!!

Clean operation...

I used it once and there was pulp and seeds all over my cabinets, my walls, my counter-top, my face, and my clothes.

So, instead, we spent a fourth of the cost on this

Cuisinart Citrus Juicer.

THIS is a product worth having.

Why a juicer, you ask???

Fresh, hand squeezed lemonade, of course.

I found the recipe for Chick-fil-a's Diet Lemonade.

Oh my.

Oh my.

Oh my, oh my, oh my!

We love fresh squeezed lemonade!

Mmmmmmmmmmm!

Merry Christmas!!!

HA! And you thought it would really be Spring Break before I got these posted!

Look on the bright side... I'm only one month behind on posts! Well, this one, anyway.

Cutest kids on the block, I'm thinking! ;-)

Hope it was a Merry one and your New Year is blessed!